Section: «Poems»

Verse (ancient Greek ὁ στίχος — row, structure), a term in versification used in several meanings: artistic speech organized by division into rhythmically commensurate segments; poetry in the narrow sense; in particular, it implies the properties of versification of a particular tradition ("antique verse", "Akhmatova's verse", etc.); a line of poetic text organized according to a certain rhythmic pattern ("My uncle of the most honest rules").

Love Thy Neighbor

Love thy neighbor, to Christ be leal!Crush him never with iron-heel,Though in the dust he's lying!All the living responsive awaitLove with power to..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

If Only You Knew It

I dare never speak up to you,For you to look down would not do,But always you are there each day,And always I wander this way.Our thoughts go by..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Norwegian Seamen's Song

Norwegian seamen areA folk grown strong 'neath sail and spar;Where boats can find a way,The best men there are they.On high seas or at home,In calm..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

In A Heavy Hour

Be glad when danger pressesEach power your soul possesses!In greater strainYour strength shall gain,Till greater vict'ry blesses!Supports may break..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Master Or Slave

Lo, this land that lifts around itThreatening peaks, while stern seas bound it,With cold winters, summers bleak,Curtly smiling, never meek,'Tis the..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

I Passed By The House

I passed by the house one summer day,Morning sunshine upon it lay;Toward the windows that blood-red burnedFlaming my soul was turned, was..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Landfall

And that was Olaf Trygvason,Going o'er the North Sea grim,Straight for his home and kingdom steering,Where none awaited him.Now the first mountains..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Nils Finn

Now little Nils Finn had away to go;The skis were too loose at both heel and toe.--"That's too bad!" rumbled yonder.Then little Nils Finn in the snow..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

The Blonde Maiden

Thoughshedepart, a vision flitting,If I these thoughts in words exhale:I love you, you blonde maiden, sittingWithin your pure white beauty's veil.I..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

The Bier Of Precentor A. Reitan

With smiles his soft eyes ever gleamed,When God and country thinking;With endless joy, his soul, it seemed,Faith, fatherland, was linking.His word..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

The Meeting

(At The Student Meeting Of 1869)Thoughts toward one another coursingTo their pole must run,Hearts that meet, all bonds are forcing,Like the..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

The Poet

The poet does the prophet's deeds;In times of need with new life pregnant,When strife and suffering are regnant,His faith with light ideal leads.The..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Secret Love

He gloomily sat by the wall,As gaily she danced with them all.Her laughter's light spellOn every one fell;His heartstrings were near unto rending,But..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Sung For Norway's Riflemen

Fly the banner, fly the banner!For our freedom fight!'Neath the banner, 'neath the banner,Riflemen unite!Graybeard in the StortingGives his vote for..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

To The Dannebrog

(When Dybbol was captured)Dannebrog of old was seemingSnow-white, rosy red,Through the mists of ages beaming,Heaven's gift outspread,Rich as fruits..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

To Sweden

Lift thou thine ancient yellow-blue!Aloft the front must show it.The German's slow to take the cue,But seeing that he'll know it.He'll know that..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

To Stang

May Seventeenth in Eidsvold's church united,To hallow after fifty years the dayWhen they who there our charter free indited,Together for our land..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

When Comes The Morning?

Whencomes the real morning?When golden, the sun's rays hoverOver the earth's snow-cover,And where the shadows nestle,Wrestle,Lifting lightward the..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

To Aasmund Olafsen Vinje (Sung At His Wife's Grave)

Your house to guests has shelter lent,While you with pen were seated.In silent quest they came and went,You saw them not, nor greeted.But when now..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

To Hans Christian Andersen

We welcome you this wondrous summer-day,When childhood's dreams on earth are streaming,To bloom and sing, to brighten and to pale;A fairy-tale,A..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

To Erika Lie

When Norse nature's dowerTones will paint with power,There is more than mountain-heights that tower,-Plains spread wide-extending,Whereon at their..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

To Molde

Molde, Molde,True as a song,Billowy rhythms whose thoughts fill with love me,Follow thy form in bright colors above me,Bear thy beauty along.Naught..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Post Festum

A man in coat of ice arrayedStood up once by the Arctic Ocean;The whole earth shook with proud emotionAnd honor to the giant paid.A king came, to him..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Song For The Students' Glee Club

Now, brothers, sing out our song,Whose train of light shall follow long!With love are its measures beatingAnd victory's joyous greeting,While round..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

They Have Found Each Other

Mute they wander,Meeting yonder,In the wondrous Spring new-born,That though old as Time's first morn,Brings fresh youth to all the living,Now held..

© Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson