EN
EN

Poetry in the Cities of Literature Ingólfur Eiríksson

We continue our introduction to the poetry of the Icelandic City of Literature — Reykjavík Bókmenntaborg UNESCO.

Today we will hear the poem Ljóðabók (“Book of Poems”) by Ingólfur Eiríksson in the author’s own performance. It was especially delightful to hear his greeting to our audience in Ukrainian — wonderful pronunciation! The poem has been translated into Ukrainian by Yevheniia Krasnoiarova.

Ingólfur Eiríksson (b. 1994) is a novelist, poet, and translator of Broadway musicals. He lives in Reykjavík, where he teaches Icelandic as a second language.

We invite you to follow this link and enjoy the poem Ljóðabók in Icelandic:


Book of Poems (Ljóðabók)
Translated by Larissa Kyzer


I’ve promised myself
I’ll talk to you
once I’ve finished this book.

Every page
I turn
is a step
towards you.

Maybe
you’ll read me
likeanopenbook,

maybe
you’ll think me
weaned on the same texts
aseverybodyelse,

maybe
I’m just a blank cover.

But I’ve taken Reading 101
and I know that truth resides
betweenthelines.

It’s one of the few things I do know.

That and the fact that I own
far more books
than is entirely decent,
not least fourteen titles
I just bought this weekend,
much to my mother’s chagrin.

Hiding among the same rare books
you might conceivably be interested in.

E.g. translations of poems
by your favorite poet
(not that that’s why I bought them, I swear)
and philosophical writings
about the distance
that separates
us all.

I’ve been shelved
in the wrong place
and the national library catalog
says I’m lost,

but I’m not.

I’m just searching
for someone
to find me.

I hope it will be you.

Read me
like an open book,
I am filled with poetry.


This project was created by the office of “Odessa — UNESCO City of Literature” and is being implemented with funds collected by the Reykjavík City of Literature as part of readings initiated by the Milan City of Literature Not Just Words (Readings for Odessa) on February 24, 2024.

Illustration

© Created by Odesa Unesco City of Literature

Website created with the support of Ukrainian Cosmopolis

All rights Reserved

Illustration

© Created by Odesa Unesco City of Literature

Website created with the support of Ukrainian Cosmopolis

All rights Reserved