The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1945, Page 17

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
15
no one can estimate the cultural and
educational value of that publication to
the young Icelanders in this country. Dr.
Johannesson was instrumental in the
publication of the independent weekly
“Vorold” and was its first and only
editor. “Vorold” was non political and
non sectarian but there he had the
opportunity of bringing before the pub-
lic the problems of the working classes
and the weak and helpless in society.
His published books are: Stories and
Poems; “Kvistir” a book of poetry; Poems
for the young; and “Stories for Youth,”
published in Iceland in 1930.
Dr. Johannesson has for many years
been a prominent and active worker in
the Icelandic community in Winnipeg.
He is an ardent supporter of the Ice-
landic Good Templar lodges and has
played a prominent part in all their
activities. He has several times been on
the executive of the Icelandic National
League and was recently made an
Honorary Life member of that organi-
zation. Last but not least he is an
accomplished debater and a fluent plat-
form speaker.
Dr. Johannesson is married to the
former Halldora Fjelsted, who has been
a staunch supporter and a steadfast
helpmate in his varied activities. In
his book of poetry “Kvistir” are two
little verses to his wife, a little gem of
Icelandic poetry and one of the finest
tributes ever paid to a woman. They
have two daughters; FriSa and Svan-
hvit, who are both graduates in Social
Service work from Toronto University,
and Svanhvit is also a graduate in Law
from the Manitoba Law School.
As the years go by we realize more
and more what a vast contribution
Dr. Johannesson has made to Icelandic
literature and to the cultural life of
the Icelandic communities in Canada
and our sincere wish is that his de-
clining years may be crowned with
the glory and recognition that he so
richly deserves.
—B. E. Johnson
★
libelana ftaadevelt
By SIG. JUL. JOHANNESSON. Translated by PAUL BJARNASON
“betta er landiS JaraSa. —
her eg leyfi aS skoSa
JaaS meS eigin augum. —
En um lei5 {aer boba,
aS {au yfir {aangaS
aldrei fasti stigur:
sigur serSu nalgast,
sjalfur liSinn hnigur.”
“Thy long-sought land of Promise
I lay before thy gaze;
The land wherein thy people
Shall dwell in coming days.
But o’er its sacred border
Thy foot shall never tread.
Anear the goal thy spirit
Shall gather with the dead”.
Svo viS manninn Mose
maelti drottinn forSum. —
Domur lifs og dauSa
dylst i slikum orSum.
Thus long ago to Moses,
The man, Jehovah spake
—A doom that mixed forebodings
Of life and death awake.
Moses lyS sinn leiddi
langan veg og strangan,
syndist senn a enda,
sigruS Jsrauta gangan.
Drottinn let hann lita
Moses led his people
A long and toilsome way,
Till gleaming in the offing
The fields of Goshen lay.
Jehovah spared his servant