Astrid & Veronika

I'm really enjoying the book Astrid & Veronika by Linda Olsson.  It's a warm and touching book about friendship.  Each chapter starts with a part of a poem, my favourite quote so far is from Åke Gulins "Skuggan i rummet" (The shadow in the room): 

Grief, its shadow in the room

doesn't move with the sun

doesn't become dusk

as dusk begins to fall.

I also was drawn to the words of Karin Boye translated by Linda Olsson:

All, all that I had

Was yours more than mine.

All my best intentions

Were thine, thine, thine.

The poem in Swedish goes as follows:

Allt, allt jag ägde var ditt mer än mitt. Allt jag vackrast ville var ditt, ditt, ditt.  Högt med dig jag talade vad ingen i världen vet. På ändlösa vägar var du min ensamhet.  Låg jag vaken om natten och tänkte ingenting, andades, kände jag dig, dig. Du var runtomkring.  Livlöst är livet, där inte du är kvar. Världen är ett väldigt skal, som ingen kärna har.

The book is translated into Norwegian as well, and is called "La meg synge deg stille sanger" ("let me sing you gentle songs") from the poem "Min stackars unge" also by Karin Boye.

Looking forward to continuing reading more this evening....