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.

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