Category Archives: Photos

Morris hälsar på

Remembering

Photos, Life, Poetry
Morris visiting at hospital
Morris visiting at hospital

I long for gone times
when I walked out to meet you
as you towards the evening came home
in the driving school’s car
and you let me ”drive” the last meters
sitting in your lap.

I long for gone times
when a reporter from the local newspaper
made a photo of our family
at a walking quiz
and I was comfortably seated
in your back-pack.

I long for gone times
when you teached me to drive.
Your phrase ”the signal won’t get greener than this”
I’ll remember for ever
– a friendly joke.

I long for gone times
when you were always around
as a security
a warranty
that everything will sort out.

I long for gone times
when I from far away
helped you to
make friends with scanner and printer.

I long for gone times
where you, already in hospital
told me about your
army service.

I long for gone times
when we mounted a circus tent
and I learnt how darned heavy
the structural bars
of the spectators’ tribune are.

I long for gone times
when I joined you for a bus ride
among Enhörna and even smaller villages.

I long for gone times
When you were still alive.

Take care
Dear Dad!

My dad was driving the bus when Tomas Tranströmer went to heaven

General, Photos, Life, Poetry

There’s a recording of this text (in Swedish) above.

Per-Ove, my dad, felt at ease in road traffic.

For many years he worked as driving instructor. And when they lived a few years in Hagfors, he was driving heavy lorries.

But I believe he felt the very best when he was driving the bus. Most of the time, he managed to solve the tricky equation really well: Be on time, but at the same time drive softly, and don’t start moving until that old lady with a walking stick is securely seated… And never, ever, ever go over the speed limits. At the same time, he was happy to spread plenty of smiles and nice words, even at five AM, when they can be the most powerful.

Continue reading My dad was driving the bus when Tomas Tranströmer went to heaven →

Klicka här för att besöka Östhammars virtuella poesigatan 2014

Poetry street 2014 in Östhammar, Sweden – and in your computer

General, Photos, Poetry, Sweden

This year, the Festival of Words in the Swedish city Östhammar happens the eleventh time. The main event is on Saturday Oct 25 2014, but a lot of interesting events will pass during the nearest week, or so. The festival program (in Swedish) has more information.

Tobi on Poetry street 2014, Photo: Stig Unge
And, I’ll take part this year, too, although I remain in Barcelona during this time!

This is, one of the events is Poetry street. From Oct 15th until Nov 10th short poems will be on display in many shops in central Östhammar. And two of the pieces were written by me! On the photo (by Stig Unge) you can see what it looks like.

If you can’t visit Östhammar, or if you want to be sure that you didn’t miss any of the poems on display, then, this year, you can visit the virtual Poetry Street (Which I put together myself.)

Click on the picture below to visit the Östhammars virtual Poetry Street of 2014.
Clich here to visit the virtual Poetry Street of 2014

O.V.P.D.

Photos, Poetry

tombstoneOVPDJuan had his favourite phrase, which he used in almost all situations. However, although he had lived many years in Sweden and spoke Swedish fluently, this phrase was in Spanish. He didn’t feel right about using it in another language.

I heard the phrase for the first time when the neighbours son was learning to ride the bicycle and just hit the ground for the third time:

“Inténtalo otra vez pero diferente” – Try one more time, but differently.

Yes, it was that easy. If you really want to achieve something, but don’t succeed, stop for a moment, think about what you were doing and how you could do it in a different way, and then – try again!

The neighbour’s son managed the bicycle. Of course he got his share of bumps and bruises, but I’ve got a feeling that he saved many tears, compared to other children. Somehow you just don’t need to cry that much when you calmly note the fact that you’ve just fallen another time and are busy figuring out what you could change for next attempt.

I heard Juan whisper the same words to himself when he just lost his job… and when his thin pancakes came out as an overfried and gluey mess.

But it turned out that his wisdom not only was applied to disasters. When the company he had started had such a success that it was acquired and he got so much money that he could have retired at the age of 45, he said exactly the same thing “Otra vez pero diferente”! He already nurtured ten new ideas and was thinking which one would be most interesting to turn into reality as his next project.

When he turned 50 I gave him a couple of specially designed cuff links with the letters O.V.P.D. that he was wearing whenever he had an opportunity. Not for that long, though, since his illness took over.

But I believe we’re going to see more of him. As he was lying in his bed during his final stage of life, he looked so calm and settled that I was almost immediately convinced that our souls are reborn and he somehow knew about this, when he winked at me and pronounced what turned out to be his final words:

“Otra vez pero diferente!”

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The image was generated on http://www.jjchandler.com/tombstone/
PS! Juan is a fictive person, just as much as the image was generated.

To Irina

Photos, Poetry

Tobi+Irina
(This text isn’t too easy to translate, since I make use of some double meanings. But I’ll try to give you something better than an automated translation, at least. 🙂 )

On you your birthday, you not only complete another year
You make decades
months
and days more complete
by filling them with life
joy of life
meaning
and energy

You not only complete another of your years,
you comple years of other people
days of other people
other peoples’ lives
with direction
with strength
with meaning
with … life.

You not only complete another year today
You make life more complete
… every day

Decision-free

Photos, Life, Poetry

Two flowers
Until now, everything was going perfectly. Eric was quickly moving ahead in the game “Life”. But now he found himself in front of three doors. There was a sign above them, which read: “The choice you make here, will impact the rest of your life”.

He took a pause. Searched hints on the net, but without success. So he put it aside until the next day.

When he launched the game again, he saw the doors again. But the text on the sign had changed. Now it said: “Each of the doors was leading ahead, but you decided to stay!”

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This text was written in the genre “100 words”. It’s a small short story containing exactly 100 words.
First published (in Swedish) at poeter.se .