Vox Populi
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Helge Torvund: The Hand
I open my left hand
and lift the naked palm
silently towards the night sky
Towards the movement of the clouds
and the dark silhouettes
of the majestic hardwood trees
against the brightness of the birdsong
that has already started
This poem contains
all the poems I have felt
moving inside me
but never wrote down
Poems that, if they were able,
would have let mercy shine
over the gaping young birds without down
and the elderly men
with mild features
crossing the street
in the shining dust of the afternoon
Poems that, if they were able,
would have let their mercy and endless tenderness
shine over young eyes that unexpectedly are met
by the hard edges of the structures of life
– would have let their mercy and thoughtfulness
shine over the souls sitting hunched up
in busses driving over the city bridge
after working hours
Poems that, if they were able,
would have let their mercy and care
shine over women washing large floors
and labyrinths of corridors
while everybody else is sleeping
– would have let their mercy shine
over the women turning
inside a dream
as if they had heard a voice
calling from a peaceful future
I open my left hand
and hold the naked palm
towards the beating heart of the world,
towards the tears that nobody wants,
towards the light of the sky
and the beaming joy
that can suddenly glow
in our eyes, in your eyes,
in all who can see the light
through the dark pupil
~~
Helge Torvund (born 1951) is a Norwegian psychologist, poet, essayist, literary critic and children’s writer. He was awarded the Nynorsk Literature Prize in 1989, the Herman Wildenvey Poetry Award in 2016, and the Dobloug Prize in 2018. His books in English include The Song Cave and Vivaldi.
Copyright 2025 Helge Torvund
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“as if they had heard a voice
calling from a peaceful future”
I love that possibility.
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This poem is beautiful and very inspiring. Thank you for introducing me to a wonderful poet.
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Thank you, Mandy!
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This poems made me feel caressed, it made me feel understood, listened to, cared for. In other words, I am feeling a little better now. This part seemed to be written for me personally (of course!):
“over the women turning
inside a dream
as if they had heard a voice
calling from a peaceful future”
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Lovely. Thanks, Rose Mary.
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This is why I, too, read poetry every day, for the mercy and endless tenderness. thank you for this poem
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Thank you, Jan.
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Sometimes I awake to fear and sometimes to despair, but then poetry is there.
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Lovely triplet, Barbara. Thank you.
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That’s why we continue to& continue to& continue to read poetry, isn’t it? To feel that we are — indeed — not alone, and that — indeed — there is someone, somewhere, who tells us:
I open my left hand
and hold the naked palm
towards the beating heart of the world,
towards the tears that nobody wants,
towards the light of the sky
and the beaming joy
that can suddenly glow
in our eyes, in your eyes,
in all who can see the light
through the dark pupil
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Thank you, Laure-Anne. Yes, poetry connects us to a network of souls.
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Mercy and endless tenderness shine through Torvund’s poem. A sort of personal ars poetica to let his hand of poetry open to the deep needs of the world. So many of us have his hope for what we do, a prayer and resolve for our part in the healing of this biosphere.
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Mercy and tenderness. The world needs more of these qualities. Thanks, Jim.
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