Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Jan Erik Vold

Koan for a Cultural Bureaucrat

Mr. Jaroslav Seifert
received the Nobel Prize, a sad blow
to his country’s
authorities who unwillingly

found themselves
forced to accept
at least
a small portion of his poems

translated into
other
tongues. A high-ranking official
comes to visit

the poet in his home, asking
the 83-year-old man to understand
the difficult decision
the Cultural Committee is faced with, having to select

the proper poems. Mr. Seifert, patiently
listening, agrees to
everything
said. All of a sudden

he asks the man from the
Administration: Do you happen to recall
who was the Minister of Culture
under Balzac? The bureaucrat, somewhat

puzzled, is taken aback
and has to admit
that no, he doesn’t. Well, Mr. Seifert said, there
we are.

KOAN FOR EN KULTURBYRÅKRAT

KOAN FOR EN KULTURBYRÅKRAT

Jaroslav Seifert
fikk Nobelprisen, et leit slag
for hjemlandets
myndigheter, som nå

hvor nødig de enn
ville, så seg
tvunget til å godta iallfall et smalt
utvalg av diktene

oversatt
til andre
språk. En person høyt oppe i hierarkiet tar opp saken
hjemme hos dikteren, ber

treogåttiåringen forstå
hvilken vanskelig vurdering det er
for Kulturkontoret å velge
de rette

diktene. Seifert sier ja og ha
og hører tålmodig
på.
Plutselig spør han

mannen fra Administrasjonen: Husker forresten De
hva kulturministeren
under Balzac
hette? Byråkraten

stusser, stanser
og medgir
at det gjør han faktisk ikke. Nei
nettopp, sa Seifert.
Close

Koan for a Cultural Bureaucrat

Mr. Jaroslav Seifert
received the Nobel Prize, a sad blow
to his country’s
authorities who unwillingly

found themselves
forced to accept
at least
a small portion of his poems

translated into
other
tongues. A high-ranking official
comes to visit

the poet in his home, asking
the 83-year-old man to understand
the difficult decision
the Cultural Committee is faced with, having to select

the proper poems. Mr. Seifert, patiently
listening, agrees to
everything
said. All of a sudden

he asks the man from the
Administration: Do you happen to recall
who was the Minister of Culture
under Balzac? The bureaucrat, somewhat

puzzled, is taken aback
and has to admit
that no, he doesn’t. Well, Mr. Seifert said, there
we are.

Koan for a Cultural Bureaucrat

Mr. Jaroslav Seifert
received the Nobel Prize, a sad blow
to his country’s
authorities who unwillingly

found themselves
forced to accept
at least
a small portion of his poems

translated into
other
tongues. A high-ranking official
comes to visit

the poet in his home, asking
the 83-year-old man to understand
the difficult decision
the Cultural Committee is faced with, having to select

the proper poems. Mr. Seifert, patiently
listening, agrees to
everything
said. All of a sudden

he asks the man from the
Administration: Do you happen to recall
who was the Minister of Culture
under Balzac? The bureaucrat, somewhat

puzzled, is taken aback
and has to admit
that no, he doesn’t. Well, Mr. Seifert said, there
we are.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère