The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1956, Qupperneq 46

44
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Summer 1956
AM INNOVATION
The readers who have enjoyed
the poems from which the cover verses
have been selected, both the originals
and the translations — and many
readers have so expressed themselves
— find their enjoyment not only in
the thought of the poet but also in
the art of the translator. These readers
are lovers of poetry — of beautiful in-
spiring thoughts expressed in the loft-
iest form of language.
It has occurred to the Editorial
Board that both enjoyment and profit
would result if the process, as carried
out in the past, were reversed at times
IS ANYBODY HAPPIER
Is anybody happier
because you passed his way?
Does anyone remember
that you spoke to him today?
The day is almost over
and its toiling time is through.
Is there anyone to utter
a kindly word for you?
Can you say tonight, in parting
with the day that’s slipping fast,
That you helped a single brother
of the many that you passed?
Is a single heart rejoicing
over what you did or said?
Does a man whose hopes were fading
now with courage look ahead?
Did you waste the day, or use it;
was it well or poorly spent?
Did you leave a trail of kindness,
or a scar of discontent?
As you close your eyes in slumber,
do you think that God will say
You have earned one more tomorrow
by the work you did today?
and selections from poetry clothed in
English language in the original were
dressed in new and perhaps refreshing
Icelandic garb. Needless to say that
would not apply to cover verses. As an
experiment one such poem, with a
theme of universal appeal, is selected.
The original “Is Anybody Happier”
is by the American author F. Ralph
Hollands. The translator, Paul Bjarna-
son of Vancouver, has been equally as
skillful as Jakobina Johnson in main-
taining the rhythmic form and passing
the thought from the one language to
the other.
ER NOKKUR S/ELLI
VariS nokkur sala saelli viS
aff sja J>ig fara hja?
Kom nokkurt orS, er viStal vakti,
vorum Ju'num fra?
ViS solarlag, er luin J>joS
acS lokum nattar sig,
Er nokkur til, sem treystir ser
a$ tala vel urn Jug?
Og faerSu kviSalaus aS kveldi
kvatt Jrann dag, sem fer,
Og sagt J>u hafir huggaS einn
i hop, sem maetti J>er?
Fekk nokkurt hjarta hressing viS
J.a hvot er vekstu J>vi;
Og gafstu broSur stundar-styrk
aS stefna fram a ny?
VarS dagsverk Joitt til einskis, eSa
iSjusemi hdS?
Er sloS Jhn gist af goSvild,
eSa giftuleysi straS?
Og naer J>ii leggur augun aftur
aetli Drottinn hvisli J>er,
bu eigir dyggur enn til goSa
annan dag aS J>jona ser?