My Shadow
My first attempt at blackout poetry in my other language
A few weeks ago (or was it months?!), Trisha Traughber encouraged me to start some poetry in my ‘other’ language. I call Swedish my ‘other’ language because I also speak German.
Now, as a native English speaker living in a non-English speaking country and having been here a few years with a reasonable grasp of the language, I decided it was time to try some poetry in Swedish.
After Trisha suggested blackout poetry as a springboard (why didn’t I think of it? It’s what I’d recommend for my nervous or apprehensive poetry students!), I went to the second-hand store and bought a nice hardcover book with really lovely paper.
I thought it would be perfect to start my Swedish blackout journey.
The book is called Min Skugga (My Shadow) by Christine Falkenland. It’s an apt title as I am attempting to create poetry, almost shadow-like, from Falkenland’s original text.
Translation of my first poem:
My body
Has dreamed again,
Head, my face, my eyes,
Everything explained
A distinct outline
Detailed and sensitive
Body.
I’ve done quite a bit of blackout poetry in English. I enjoy line and form, making shapes, and using colour. As you can see in the…
