Don’t Come to Me with The Entire Truth

I recently came across a beautiful poem by a Norwegian poet by the name of Olav Hauge (1908-1994) when I was searching another poem of his that was given to my friend Edvard for his wedding present in 2002.

Don’t Come to Me with The Entire Truth is a poem about sensitivity and delicateness. Simply sublime.

The version quoted here is translated by Robert Bly and printed in his book The Winged Energy of Delight.

 

Don’t Come to Me with The Entire Truth

Don’t come to me with the entire truth.
Don’t bring me the ocean if I feel thirsty,
nor heaven if I ask for light;
but bring a hint, some dew, a particle,
as birds carry only drops away from water,
and the wind a grain of salt.