en promenad i stockholm...

Empty the street in morning twilight

slithers, pushes into the distance,

gropes its way along city blocks,

cuts and crosses house lots and alleys...

*****

Rows of houses, grey-brown walls,

mouldings, drainpipes, balconies, railings,

baker's pretzels and grocery bushes;

level sidewalk stones as margins...

*****

Now, far off on the brow of the hill 

rises up a head that is moving,

and two hands wrapped around a cane -

like a mirage it rises up...

*****

 

But over there, and even higher

hovers the smoke-blue city skyline

there is the sun, the cottages gleam,

there is the breeze, flapping the flags...

*****

*selected verses from "Street Pictures" by August STRINDBERG (1849-1912), translated from the swedish by Lotta M. Lofgren, 2002.