Introduction
About Karin Boye
Work by Karin Boye
  • Poems
  • Prose
  • Recordings
  • Water-colours
  • Around Karin Boye
    The Society
    Sales

    BURNING CANDLES

    Now cries the night aloud in need,
    with unknown dread a-quake.
    Now light I here two candles straight
    for eternal darkness' sake.

    If the Lord's angels pass by here,
    the light will call to them,
    then they will hear the flames sing my prayer,
    and bear it with them home.

    They are warriors who go in armour of fire
    with word from the Almighty's house.
    Their speech has no words for harsh and sweet.
    but for burning candles it has.

    That is why they stand on the storm's back
    between the whipping wings' din,
    that is why they smile at the darkness's power
    and meet the cold with disdain.

    O Lord my God, O terrible God,
    Your mantle's roar booms free.
    I pray for flowers and pray for peace -
    but give burning candles to me!


    Translated into English by David McDuff in "Karin Boye: Complete poems".

    Swedish original



    Copyright © 2005:
    Translation from Swedish into English: David McDuff
    Swedish original: Ulf Boye

    Published with the permission of:
    David McDuff, translation.
    Ulf Boye, copyright of the Swedish original.
    May and Hans Mehlin, Layout.

    For more information, please visit the website of David McDuff and his own pages with the translations.