Tomas Tranströmer - Tracks (1)
Translated from the Swedish by Robin Fulton
2a.m.: moonlight. The train has stopped
out in the middle of the plain. Far away, points of light in a town,
flickering coldly at the horizon.
As when someone has gone into a dream so deep
he'll never remember having been there
when he comes back to his room.
As when someone has gone into an illness so deep
everything his days were becomes a few flickering points, a swarm,
cold and tiny at the horizon.
The train is standing quite still.
2 a.m.: bright moonlight, few stars.
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Tomas Tranströmer - Tracks (2)
Translated from the Swedish by Robert Bly
Night, two o'clock: moonlight. The train has stopped
in the middle of the plain. Distant bright points of a town
twinkle cold on the horizon.
As when someone has gone into a dream so far
that he'll never remember he was there
when he comes back to his room.
And as when someone goes into a sickness so deep
that all his former days become twinkling points, a swarm,
cold and feeble on the horizon.
The train stands perfectly still.
Two o'clock: full moonlight, few stars.
