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Translation

Untitled poems from This isnt happening

Kristine B. Fostervold

Untitled poems from ‘This isnt happening’ (Oslo Tiden Norsk Forlag, 2017)
By Ida Lórien Ringdal
Translated from the Norwegian by Kristine B. Fostervold

im not checking my phone

i watch game of thrones

im not checking my phone

i go out and buy some pepsi max

im not checking my phone

its on the bed

im not checking my phone

i drink until it hurts to swallow

im not checking my phone

i take a long walk

im not checking my phone

theres rain or maybe a snowstorm

or the apocalypse or just some drizzle

im not checking my phone

its day or maybe night

im not checking my phone

im home

im not checking my phone

i check my phone

nothing

what do you do

when youre not with me

when youre not thinking of me

when youre not missing me

i should be checking in to a psychiatric unit but

im not checking my phone

i check my phone

 

 

if my thoughts

had feet

they wouldve made

a path

over to you

we cant keep

not meeting

like this

 

 

a best friend

with cherub cheeks

and dirt under their fingernails

is a stranger

with crows feet

and a baby in their arms

abracadabra

whispers time

and takes a bow

 

i dread the day when its no longer cute

to be broke

to not know what im doing with my life

to not want kids

and that the only so called adulting ive done

is keep my monstera plant alive for 5 years

 

These poems are taken from ‘Voices from the Outside: UEA MA Translation Anthology’. The full anthology can be purchased from Egg Box Publishing.

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