HarryMartinson FivePoems TranslatedbyRobinFulton

HarryMartinson(1904–1978) grewupinJäämshöög, Blekinge, in southwestSweden.When hewassixhisfatherdiedandthen hismotherdepartedtotheU.S.A., leavinghimandhissisters as‘parishorphans’, fosteredouttovariousfamilies. Hisescape fromthiswastosail theoceansfrom1920to1927. Returning to his native tracts, he eventually became one of the best knownwritersof hisgeneration, hisproseandverseappealing widely, bothtoacademicsandtothe‘common’ reader. His booksnaturallyreflect hisupbringing(Näässlornablomma / BlossomingNettles, 1935, Väägenut / TheWayOut, 1936), and his wanderings (Resor utan måål /Journeys with No Destination, 1932,KapFarvääl/CapeFarewell,1933)and thenhisinterestin science and social questions (Verklighet till dööds / Reality to Death, 1940, Väägentill Klockrike / The RoadtoKlockrike, 1948). His ‘space odyssey’ Aniara (1956) records a space mission off-courseandheadingfor nowhere: theworkreceivedanew lease of life as the basis for Karl-Birger Blomdahl’s opera (1959). HiselectiontoTheSwedishAcademyin1949wasseenas a gesture towards a generationof more or less self-educated