I never thought I would write poetry, but I have written some. This weekend it was rather fun to read a collection of Swedish poetry. To compare. However, my favourites are Shakespeare’s sonnets, and in particular sonnet no 18. Those are the most beautiful words in the world. Now I have started to refocus on writing my books. I was a bit tired of writing in December but now I have gained energy again. I miss the persons in my book. I got very attached to them.

Another way of expressing myself is through photography. To find various emotions. This evening I share a photo from my last day in Dubai a year ago when I walked in sunny weather by the river, waiting to catch my plane. It was a beautiful day.

Allegro (på svenska)

Jag spelar Haydn efter en svart dag
och känner en enkel värme i händerna.

Tangenterna vill. Milda hammare slår.
Klangen är grön, livlig och stilla.

Klangen säger att friheten finns
och att någon inte ger kejsaren skatt.

Jag kör ner händerna i mina haydnfickor
och härmar en som ser lugnt på världen.

Jag hissar haydnflaggan – det betyder:
»Vi ger oss inte. Men vill fred.«

Musiken är ett glashus på sluttningen
där stenarna flyger, stenarna rullar.

Och stenarna rullar tvärs igenom
men varje ruta förblir hel.

Allegro (in English)

I play Haydn after a black day
and feel an easy warmth in my hands.

The keys want. Gentle hammers strike.
The tone is green, lively and calm.

The tone says that freedom exists
and that someone didn’t give the emperor tax.

I guide my hands down into my Haydn pockets
and mimic one who sees peace in the world.

I lift the Haydn flag – it says:
“We don’t give up. But want peace.”

The music is a glasshouse on the hillside
where the stones fly, the stones roll.

And the stones roll straight through
but every window pane remains whole.

Poetry is beautiful. I have to be in a good mood to appreciate reading poetry. Last autumn I bought a collection with Swedish poetry. When I went to high school I learnt a few poems by heart. I liked “Jag längtar till landet som icke är…” by Södergran, since I am grown up in the country side. I was surprised when I found her poem in the book. I had forgotten those words.

Moreover, I found a poem by Tranströmer “Allegro” that I like. Previously, I wrote that poetry is very associated to music for me. Tranströmer played the piano, and there is some kind of rhythm in this poem that I like. And the combination of words is beautiful. So, please enjoy. I found an English translation. Contradictions are fascinating. It has been snowing like in terms of Allegro all day today, and it has not been a black day like the first line in this poem. No Adagio. Maybe musical terminology can describe the pace of life.

I work this weekend so I have a relaxing evening at home. It was a beautiful day today. Snow, sunshine and rather cold. These days are needed since it is so dark this time of the year. They are rare, and they make my life much brighter. Last time, I wrote that I have started to think about my next book. I will work on two books. Just like I did last time. But not poetry.

Poetry is very connected to music for me. That is, poetry is like music and vice versa. This evening I spent some time to find some music to share. Since I am very found of the piano I was very happy when I found this song with Alicia Keys. She has a beautiful voice, and she sings about New York. A city that is always busy. A city that never sleeps.

On the avenue
There ain’t never a curfew
Ladies work so hard
Such a melting pot
On the corner selling rock

Hopefully, this will give me inspiration to continue to write. Because that is what I need. Inspiration to write my next books.

Finally, life has in a way settled. I am talking about my writing. I have needed time to refocus. Recharge my batteries. Today I started to think about my next book. I like the characters in the book so much, and I will continue to write about them. This is my hobby, and of course I talk about my writing with friends and colleagues. Since my characters are very kind and lovable persons, I was suggested to have a mean character in my next book. A good idea. But difficult and challenging.

One of the world’s most famous speeches is from Martin Luther King Jr. I have a dream. At that time, in Washington 1963, he shared his vision for a just America. About work and freedom.

“I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.”

It is always good to have dreams. My dream and goal is to continue to write. To work for internet freedom. There are a lot of countries in the world where it is not evident to write freely. So, I am very happy to live in Sweden. Here we have freedom of speech.

I like to work at the pharmacy and write in my spare time. Sometimes it happens that customers in the pharmacy say that they are in the library by mistake. Pharmacy (apotek) and library (bibliotek) are rather similar words in Swedish. However, books are a very nice topic to talk about. Everybody has a book to recommend. A universal interest.

This week has been fun and in a way also intense, since I have revived a lot of memories. I went to Sala in the beginning of this week to talk about my writing. My very first school in Enåker doesn’t exist anymore, but the high school, Kungsängs skolan in Sala, is still in the community. I don’t know why, but in a way it feels good to return to where I am grown up. Strange. But it is also interesting since it probably has something to do with the title of my book “Generationer”. I talked to a friend with whom I went to the same school during many years; both at high school and at the university. The two of us remembered that we had a very inspiring teacher in biology and chemistry in Sala. Encouraging teachers can influence life a lot. I share a photo from this summer from Sala where you can see the beautiful little bridges.

It was a cold and dazzling Tuesday. I really like these kind of days when it is cold and the air is fresh. Days like this, I often listen to Puccini. Opera becomes so clear and sparkling. However, I waited at the railway station in Sala and meanwhile I had a cup of tea. After studying in Sala, everybody but one person continued to study at the university. Most of us went to Uppsala. My class must have been very ambitious. Today, it is more common to work for a year or two, do some traveling and then continue with studies.

I went for a little walk in Uppsala, and I saw my favourite shops. Then I met a friend from Uppsala and we went to a café (www.guntherska.se). Always very nice to go there. It is a privilege to have friends that I have known for so many years. I know about her family and she knows about mine. We also have a common interest in dogs. From what I remember her family had a “lapphund”, called Buffa. Moreover, she recommended a movie I should see, “The Wife”, about a very skilled author, his family life and career. And also a serie on HBO Nordic. Before I continued to Stockholm, we had time to do some shopping. Clothing, but very difficult to find a proper size now since most is sold out. And it felt like old times again. Good.

I tried to think of something that was very typical from when I studied in Uppsala. And, maybe a little boring, but whenever I was going somewhere I always went bicycling. My bike was stolen twice, and the last year in Uppsala I was very happy when I changed to a bike with many gears. Little things in daily life that makes you happy.

Tomorrow will be very interesting day in Sweden. It is a lot of time since the general election was in September, and “talmannen” has had busy days. The main political change is that there is no “Alliansen”. That used to be a right-wing four-party coalition. Two of these parties have now switched to the left parties. So, tomorrow, Stefan Löfven will present his new government. I really hope he will do some changes in his minister posts. To show that there is a change, an improvement to the better. To conclude, it is a big political mess in Sweden right now. It will be interesting to follow the political development.