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Bengt’s “sjordingar” now in Chinese

Sju sockor som gav idén till "Sjordingarna"

Bengts Söderhäll’s seven-word long poems “Sjordingarna,” or, as they are known in English “The Sevlings,” have now been translated into English and Chinese and will be a much-appreciated gift to the guests of the University.

A whole story in seven words

“Sjordingar” (Sevlings in English) is Bengt’s own word for the seven-word long poems. Bengt Söderhäll is a senior lecturer in curriculum studies at the University of Gävle and well-known as the chair and driving force of the Stig Dagerman Society.

He has published several collections of poetry, and the booklet in question, also in English and Chinese, contains poems from the collection “Vi fäster våra drömmar med ordens häftstift” (Pinning our Dreams with Needles of Words.) The poems are complemented by Bengt’s own drawings.

What do you want to say with your short poems Bengt?

“I am testing a poetic understanding of life. I don’t know what it means and where it leads, but I am happy with that. The basic idea was that it was supposed to be a complete story in just seven words.”

Likes right now
“Ekot av det ännu inte inträffade/är öronbedövande”

(“Echoes of what is yet to happen/are deafening”)

How did you get the idea?
“I was washing woollen socks and then hung them up to dry on our porch. When I later came up from my swim, I noticed these seven woollen socks. At that time, I was so tired of all words and all reading, and that was when the idea struck me.”

“Finding a story of seven words is also like a research process. It is different than the scientific one, but it has got the same claim on the truth.”

“However, my favourite is in eight words…!”

 

Translation into Chinese: Maiping Chen
Translation into English: Bengt Söderhäll and Mia Mårdberg

Publisher: Beijbom Books and the University of Gävle.

For more information, please contact:
Bengt Söderhäll, senior lecturer in curriculum studies at the University of Gävle
Tel: 026-64 88 69, 076-800 47 72
Email: bengt.soderhall@hig.se


Text: Douglas Öhrbom
Photo: Private

Published by: Douglas Öhrbom Page responsible: Anders Munck Updated: 2017-06-13
Högskolan i Gävle
www.hig.se
Box 801 76 GÄVLE
026-64 85 00 (växel)