L. Onerva

L. Onerva (real name Hilja Onerva Lehtinen, 28 April 1882 – 1 March 1972) was a Finnish poet. Onerva also wrote short stories and novels and worked as a translator and critic. In her works, she often dealt with tension in women's lives concerning freedom and commitment. She is also remembered for her complicated relationship with Eino Leino, as well as her marriage to the composer Leevi Madetoja.

L. Onerva (1907)

Quotes

• Mikä olen? Tähdenlento
  Luojan ikuisessa yössä,
  tomujyvä aavan aineen
  lakkaamattomassa työssä.

  Mutta sentään! Tahdon antaa
  hehkun hetkelleni tälle,
  tahdon loistaa, tahdon laulaa
  kiitoslaulun elämälle.

  Tahdon laulaa: mitä siitä,
  jos ma lopuin, kussa aloin,
  mutta silmänräpäyksen
  valokaarin yössä paloin!

  Hetken sykin, liekkisydän,
  aurinkona maailman oman
  tunsin kauneuden kaipuun,
  rakkauden rajattoman.

  Alistukaa, avaruudet,
  pienen tähden välkynnälle!
  Tahdon loistaa, tahdon laulaa
  kiitoslaulun elämälle.

  • What am I? I am a comet
    in Creator’s night infernal,
    dusty grain of far-flung matter
    of his labour’s task eternal.

    Glow upon my moment’s fleeting –
    that is all I want to furnish,
    song of praise for my heart’s beating –
    My desire to sing I’ll burnish.

    Yes, I want to sing and shining
    even end as I once started
    in a blinking eyelid’s moment
    when a flash across sky darted!

    Flaming heart that once pulsated,
    sun apart that once was burning,
    boundless love was what I wanted –
    beauty’s gift, my ardent yearning.

    Space deserted, now surrender
    to the light of my star’s beating!
    my desire to sing I’ll burnish –
    song of praise for life repeating.

  • Translation by Rupert Moreton