Varför låter de barnen komma till mig
så underliga
med gassprängda lungor,
med bombslitna lemmar?
Varför blandar de barnen i sitt spel
om guld, ära, makt,
som rakt ingenting
har med barnens värld att göra?
Varför reser ej mödrar och fäder sig
mot bestars hord?
så underliga
med gassprängda lungor,
med bombslitna lemmar?
Varför blandar de barnen i sitt spel
om guld, ära, makt,
som rakt ingenting
har med barnens värld att göra?
Varför reser ej mödrar och fäder sig
mot bestars hord?
Contributed by Juha Rämö - 2017/10/30 - 11:03
Language: Italian
Traduzione italiana di Riccardo Venturi
31.10.2017 00:08
31.10.2017 00:08
Elmer Diktonius e il suo gatto.
Elmer Diktonius och hans katt.
Elmer Diktonius ja hänen kissansa.
Elmer Diktonius och hans katt.
Elmer Diktonius ja hänen kissansa.
PERCHÉ LASCIANO?
Perché lasciano che i fanciulli vengano a me
così strani
con i polmoni schiantati dal gas,
con le membra mutilate dalle bombe?
Perché immischiano i fanciulli nel loro gioco
per l'oro, per l'onore, per il potere,
che proprio nulla a che fare
ha con il mondo di un bambino?
Perché le madri e i padri non insorgono
contro quest'orda di belve?
Perché lasciano che i fanciulli vengano a me
così strani
con i polmoni schiantati dal gas,
con le membra mutilate dalle bombe?
Perché immischiano i fanciulli nel loro gioco
per l'oro, per l'onore, per il potere,
che proprio nulla a che fare
ha con il mondo di un bambino?
Perché le madri e i padri non insorgono
contro quest'orda di belve?
Language: Finnish
Traduzione finlandese / Finnish translation / Traduction finnoise / Finsk översättning / Suomennos: Liisa Ryömä (1947-2017)
Liisa Ryömä (1947-2017)
MIKSI NE SALLIVAT
Miksi ne sallivat lasten tulla tyköni
niin outoina,
kaasun puhkomin keuhkoin,
pommin repimin jäsenin?
Miksi ne vetävät lapset peliinsä
rahasta, kunniasta, vallasta,
eihän se millään lailla
kuulu lapsen maailmaan?
Mikseivät isät ja äidit nouse
petojen laumaa vastaan?
Miksi ne sallivat lasten tulla tyköni
niin outoina,
kaasun puhkomin keuhkoin,
pommin repimin jäsenin?
Miksi ne vetävät lapset peliinsä
rahasta, kunniasta, vallasta,
eihän se millään lailla
kuulu lapsen maailmaan?
Mikseivät isät ja äidit nouse
petojen laumaa vastaan?
Contributed by Juha Rämö - 2017/10/30 - 11:06
Language: English
Traduzione inglese / English translation / Traduction anglaise / Engelsk översättning: Juha Rämö
WHY DO THEY LET
Why do they let the children come to me
so strange,
with their lungs ruptured by gases,
with their limbs mutilated by bombs?
Why do they drag children into their game
for money, honor, power,
that actually has nothing to do
with the world of a child?
Why don't mothers and fathers rise against
this horde of beasts?
Why do they let the children come to me
so strange,
with their lungs ruptured by gases,
with their limbs mutilated by bombs?
Why do they drag children into their game
for money, honor, power,
that actually has nothing to do
with the world of a child?
Why don't mothers and fathers rise against
this horde of beasts?
Contributed by Juha Rämö - 2017/10/30 - 11:07
@ Riccardo Venturi
Dear Riccardo,
Ever since October 31, 2017, I've been wondering how on earth you've been able to tell that Elmer Diktonius is holding his cat in the above picture and not that of his neighbor just to give an example.
Sincerely,
JR
Dear Riccardo,
Ever since October 31, 2017, I've been wondering how on earth you've been able to tell that Elmer Diktonius is holding his cat in the above picture and not that of his neighbor just to give an example.
Sincerely,
JR
Juha Rämö - 2022/9/14 - 19:58
@ Juha Rämö
You're right. Nobody on earth -except Elmer Diktonius of course- could tell if the cat is his own or that of a neighbor. As a matter of fact, a cat is never someone's property. Maybe, it's simply a cat who is being held by his Elmer Diktonius; I think this is more correct.
Sincerely, RV
You're right. Nobody on earth -except Elmer Diktonius of course- could tell if the cat is his own or that of a neighbor. As a matter of fact, a cat is never someone's property. Maybe, it's simply a cat who is being held by his Elmer Diktonius; I think this is more correct.
Sincerely, RV
Riccardo Venturi - 2022/9/14 - 20:17
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Note for non-Italian users: Sorry, though the interface of this website is translated into English, most commentaries and biographies are in Italian and/or in other languages like French, German, Spanish, Russian etc.
A poem by Elmer Rafael Diktonius [1896-1961] (1936)
En dikt av Elmer Rafael Diktonius [1896-1961] (1936)
Musica / Music / Music (Finnish Version: Eeva Marjatta Meritähti) (1978)
Canzone / Song / Sång: Elina Salo
Elmer Diktonius (1896 - 1961) was a Swedish-speaking Finn, poet, translator and composer. This poem written in 1936 has a bearing on both the Spanish Civil War and Jesus' words »Let the children come to me«. The Finnish version of the poem was composed as a song by Marjatta Meritähti and performed by Elina Salo at a song evening in 1978.