The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1967, Page 98

96
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Summer 19G7
I'ORSK AB1TUR (Porbjom Bjamarson)
not help admiring the “hits” I saw and
learned in both English and Icelandic,
and in my school years I even tried to
make up a few verses, with little or no
success. My friend and schoolmate, Vil-
hjalmur Stefansson, was already writ-
ing notable poems in English and I
learned them all by heart. I had also
learned some of “Kain’s” masterful
comic poems and some of St. G. Steph-
ansson’s deep and immaculate gems,
but was otherwise rather ignorant
about our people’s special art. And
then it happened that I was stationed
in Pembina, N. Dakota for two years
and got acquainted with Thonbjorn
Bjarnarson (borskalbitur), whom the
many Icelanders in Pembina at that
time knew little about and seemed to
care less. He was poor in worldly
goods, lame and reserved. He was born
in BorgarfirSi, Iceland, in 1859, and
emigrated to America at 32 and there
fore always remained an Icelander in
essence in his new environment. Yet
he was also a good American, as most
Icelanders have been iin that country.
Raw and ignorant as I was, I visited
him many times, and he was bind
enough to read to me some of his
poems, none of which I could help
admiring, though 'two of his master-
pieces had not then come into being:
“Halley’s Halastjarna”, and “StuSlagar
SLutthendingar”, both top-one products
of the poetic art.
In 1914 his “Ljdffimasld” was publish-
ed (iby .the help of some friends); but
so far the art of this author has not
been adequately acknowledged by our
people, let alone those others in the
poetic world who eventually must
evaluate good work, even if done in a
foreign language. My verdict is that
“borskalbitur” was one of the best poets
that our people in America have pro-
duced, and I think that the recognition
of him as one of the greats is far past
due. He has gone beyond any possibil-
ity of recompense; but we can still be
the inheritors of his inimitable gift.
Many of the world’s greatest thinkers
and writers died before the depth and
value of their work was fully realized
and appraised, and I think that borska-
bitur was one of them. He was not as
prolific as some of the others whose
fame has become assured; but bulk
is not the chief value of a product. A
few outstanding masterpieces rate
higher and longer than bookfuls of
good medium stuff; and borskabitur’s
few masterpieces will never be sur-
passed.
Ed. — This article was specially written for the Centennial number of The Icelandic Can-
adian just prior to Paul Bjarnason’s death.