I’ve finished highlighting the picture book poetry books?on the CYBILS shortlist now. What a great bunch of books!
Now I wanted to share a poem from A Little Bitty Man, which I read a while back.
The style of poems in this book actually isn’t?the kind that’s my particular taste. But what I found totally amazing was that these were Danish poems by Halfdan Rasmussen, translated into English by poet Marilyn Nelson and Pamela Espeland. I am stunned that they were able to turn Danish poems into English ones that are still charming and with meter and rhyme that totally works! I wish I read Danish so that I could really get a sense for how this transformation happened. Meanwhile, here’s?a lovely little bitty poem:
The ElfThe elf puts on his winter coat
and puts his winter hat on,
finds a muffler for his throat
in his drawer–puts that on,
packs his pockets full of mice
and then, before he goes,
puts on an empty ice-cream cone
to insulate his nose.
–by ?Halfdan Rasmussen, translated into English by poet Marilyn Nelson and Pamela Espeland
See Kevin Hawkes’ cute illustration below:
April Halprin Wayland at?Teaching Authors has?today’s Poetry Friday roundup?– enjoy!
I can’t imagine this in Danish! Like you, it would have been interesting to have been able to compare the versions – was anything lost in translation? Although it certainly doesn’t appear to have.
Inquiring minds want to know! But…I guess I don’t want to know enough to learn Danish:>)
I can’t imagine this in Danish! Like you, it would have been interesting to have been able to compare the versions – was anything lost in translation? Although it certainly doesn’t appear to have.
Inquiring minds want to know! But…I guess I don’t want to know enough to learn Danish:>)
So cool! I can’t imagine why he has mice in his pockets. What a surprise! But you are so right; translating it into such a charming poem that works in English too is a really masterful feat!
I figured the mice are insulation–but now I wonder if those were in the original. I’m thinking yes, since the word “mice” isn’t needed for rhyme. Writer Hope Vestergaard has offered to do a literal translation of the original if I can find it in Danish. But I’ve hunted around a little this morning and can’t find it. If anyone else is able to find the Danish version online, we’ll ask Hope to do the honors:>) I did find the beginning of an article Marilyn and Pamela wrote for Children’s Literature, but it costs $20 to buy the article. The excerpt itself is pretty interesting on its own, though: http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/chl/summary/v010/10.waniek.html
So cool! I can’t imagine why he has mice in his pockets. What a surprise! But you are so right; translating it into such a charming poem that works in English too is a really masterful feat!
I figured the mice are insulation–but now I wonder if those were in the original. I’m thinking yes, since the word “mice” isn’t needed for rhyme. Writer Hope Vestergaard has offered to do a literal translation of the original if I can find it in Danish. But I’ve hunted around a little this morning and can’t find it. If anyone else is able to find the Danish version online, we’ll ask Hope to do the honors:>) I did find the beginning of an article Marilyn and Pamela wrote for Children’s Literature, but it costs $20 to buy the article. The excerpt itself is pretty interesting on its own, though: http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/chl/summary/v010/10.waniek.html
Perfect poem for this cold, blasted weather. I think I need to find a special cone to insulate my nose! Haha! What a fun poem, Laura!
Pretty soon they’ll sell those here in Minnesota. As frigid as we’ve been, we need them!
Perfect poem for this cold, blasted weather. I think I need to find a special cone to insulate my nose! Haha! What a fun poem, Laura!
Pretty soon they’ll sell those here in Minnesota. As frigid as we’ve been, we need them!
Thanks so much for sharing this little bit of Danish Elf magic, Laura! Love the idea of an ice cream cone as a nose warmer. =)
Isn’t it fun?
Thanks so much for sharing this little bit of Danish Elf magic, Laura! Love the idea of an ice cream cone as a nose warmer. =)
Isn’t it fun?
I love the repetition of “puts on,” “hat on,” and “that on.” You wouldn’t think it would work, but it’s wonderful. I was on a Garcia Lorca kick a while back and wondered the same thing about translations. And I always think it’s fun to see translations of the same poem from multiple translators. Makes you wonder sometimes what the original really did say.
Exactly! See my reply to Andi Jazmon below for more…
I love the repetition of “puts on,” “hat on,” and “that on.” You wouldn’t think it would work, but it’s wonderful. I was on a Garcia Lorca kick a while back and wondered the same thing about translations. And I always think it’s fun to see translations of the same poem from multiple translators. Makes you wonder sometimes what the original really did say.
Exactly! See my reply to Andi Jazmon below for more…
What an adorable poem. It does have very spunky rhymes and the ice cream cone is wonderful.
Spunky is just the right word for this poem:>)
What an adorable poem. It does have very spunky rhymes and the ice cream cone is wonderful.
Spunky is just the right word for this poem:>)
I also want to know the story behind the mice in the pockets-food? It is a lovely story poem, with such nice rhythm. There has to be a story behind this-is the poet a beloved children’s poet in Sweden, or ? Thanks Laura, for the little bitty poem!
I figured insulation–like a living muffler! See my reply to Andi Jazmon below and the excerpt, which gives a bit of Rasmussen background…
I also want to know the story behind the mice in the pockets-food? It is a lovely story poem, with such nice rhythm. There has to be a story behind this-is the poet a beloved children’s poet in Sweden, or ? Thanks Laura, for the little bitty poem!
I figured insulation–like a living muffler! See my reply to Andi Jazmon below and the excerpt, which gives a bit of Rasmussen background…
Oh wow–I love “packs his pockets full of mice”!
Wouldn’t that be a fun way to keep your hands warm? Beats the chemical hand warmers I use occasionally:>)
Oh wow–I love “packs his pockets full of mice”!
Wouldn’t that be a fun way to keep your hands warm? Beats the chemical hand warmers I use occasionally:>)
Those pockets full of mice make me curious about what happened next. Thanks for introducing us to this interesting book. I’m with Doraine, in that I’d like to see how others translated it as well.
Me, too. See my reply to Andi Jazmon below for a bit more…
Those pockets full of mice make me curious about what happened next. Thanks for introducing us to this interesting book. I’m with Doraine, in that I’d like to see how others translated it as well.
Me, too. See my reply to Andi Jazmon below for a bit more…
Love it! A translation – wow!
Glad you like it!
Love it! A translation – wow!
Glad you like it!
What a cute cover and yes how clever to translate, make it rhyme and it still be the same poem. Wow!
Exactly. Dying to find the Danish original and see what the literal translation is…
What a cute cover and yes how clever to translate, make it rhyme and it still be the same poem. Wow!
Exactly. Dying to find the Danish original and see what the literal translation is…
Oh, my! What I wouldn’t give for a nose-insulator like that and some mice for my pockets!
I know! So cute…
Oh, my! What I wouldn’t give for a nose-insulator like that and some mice for my pockets!
I know! So cute…
Great poem! Thanks for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Great poem! Thanks for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed it!
This looks like a charming book. It would be fun to see a literal translation. I also love the interesting rhymes — that on and hat on — that totally work. Thanks for telling me about this one.
This looks like a charming book. It would be fun to see a literal translation. I also love the interesting rhymes — that on and hat on — that totally work. Thanks for telling me about this one.