THE COLLECTED POEMS OF HENRIK IBSEN Translated by John ...

160
And that’s why good spirits came flocking
From earth and from sky and from sea,
His longings they cast in metal,
Gave form to his fantasy.
And that’s how the lucky fellow
Owning the magic lamp
Raised up the lofty turrets
All in one night, the scamp! — — —
Time has run out for fables,
Faith ranks below a call;
Building means deeds, not dreaming,
If it’s to grow up tall.
But youth has a self-reliance
That’s of a deathless sort;
To Hope, ever-fresh and lovely,
Flock spirits to lend support.
See, that’s why we’re boldly building
The castle of Thought’s proud pile;
Favouring spirits are with us, —
That’s why it proceeds in style.
`Twill soon be a task accomplished; —
Our thanks, then, to one and all,
Who brought to our lucky vision
A stone to augment this new hall!
The Danish poet Œhlenschläger, whom Ibsen greatly admired (see the Bard in Valhalla
above), wrote a work called “Alladdin”.
EPILOGUE
at Mr and Mrs Døvle’s Benefit Performance
30 April 1860
(delivered by Mrs Døvle)
Memories, that by day go diving
Deep into oblivion’s well, —
Visions, dowsed by life’s rude striving,
Now, this evening, work their spell.
Feelings intimately stirred,
Fumbling for interpretation, —
I shall bunch for presentation
In a warm and grateful word.
I was just a child when here
My young talents were first tested;
Then the star for which I quested