When an Angel breaks her Silence
When an Angel Breaks her Silence. Poems. Borgen 1981. Cover: Sys Hindsbo. The poem is translated by Roger Greenwald.
FREE THE INTERNAL SONG
When the frosty nights set in
and the stars quiver in the sky
you must ride along the wall
until you have left the city
and follow the usual road for a bit
but then ride away from the demarcated zones
ride out and leave your horse in a place
where the grass grows high
and the late flowers
make you see everything
from the stamen
out through the petals
go the last part
on foot
and when you come to the steps
try a dance
write your name in sand
and become invulnerable
come
the entrance is here
free the internal songs:
draw a bird
with the tip of your tongue
across my body.
When an Angel breaks her Silence 1981. Digte 1981-83. Digte. Gyldendal 1999.
Pia Tafdrup
is a poet, writer and a member of The Danish Academy.
Honours include:
The Swedish Academy’s Nordic Prize 2006
The Soeren Gyldendal Award, 2005
The Nordic Council’s Literature Prize, 1999