Poem
Jan Erik Vold
Koan for a Cultural Bureaucrat
Mr. Jaroslav Seifertreceived 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.
© Translation: 1989, Jan Erik Vold
KOAN FOR EN KULTURBYRÅKRAT
KOAN FOR EN KULTURBYRÅKRAT
Jaroslav Seifertfikk 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.
© 1989, Jan Erik Vold
From: Elg
Publisher: Gyldendal, Oslo
From: Elg
Publisher: Gyldendal, Oslo
Poems
Poems of Jan Erik Vold
Close
Koan for a Cultural Bureaucrat
Mr. Jaroslav Seifertreceived 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.
© 1989, Jan Erik Vold
From: Elg
From: Elg
Koan for a Cultural Bureaucrat
Mr. Jaroslav Seifertreceived 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.
© 1989, Jan Erik Vold
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