THE STAR
Sparklingly frosty
with frozen light
the Milky Way's waves wash
stars like gravel tight.
One only is mine.
She is known to my thought -
my fate's light of eternity,
my life and my lot.
In immense strength she rose,
when dark me did cloak.
When defenceless I fell, me
to star-life she woke.
With silver nails my soul
to a star was bound.
Thus wanders free its given way
my being's kernel and ground.
Who intends to choose me
must woo the star.
In her dwells my worth,
my will in her.
In her is my home,
From her my law on high.
O star, o my deed
and my goal, you are I!
Translated into English by David McDuff in "Karin Boye: Complete poems".
Swedish original
Copyright © 2005:
Translation from Swedish into English: David McDuff
Published with the permission of:
David McDuff, translation.
May and Hans Mehlin, Layout.
For more information, please visit the website of David McDuff and his own pages with the translations.