Toralf Cod

LITTLE PEOPLE

Blood, sweat and tears,
– Lets trees clothe the mountain
Love, care and community
– Creates pastures from barren lands
Little by little, stone by stone, life improves
– Civilization emerges

Proud
Standing tall,
Bowing to no man
Perpetually improving what is
Humble
Nurturing Mother Nature,
Knowing she takes like she gives
Grateful for the gifts
Fearful of the Power
Hardened
Winter is hunger, darkness and Cold
Summer is long days of work, short nights of rest
What you gather today, you eat tomorrow
Short lives, fully lived
Shy
Tall mountains plunge into the deep fjord
Far from everywhere
Away from everyone
Words few and far apart

Backbone of my little land

Toralf was very proud of who he was and where he came from. The heritage of the Mountain People and the People of the Sea (sailors and fishermen) is the very foundation of who our Nation is today, and he wanted to show you what they were all about. He started a great number of poems, based on the idea that it was better to write the words down immediately and improve them later; unfortunately he never got the time to finish many of them. This is among my favourites and I hope you appreciate it too, even in its unfinished form.

It is your Christmas gift from Suzanne, Junior and me.

God Jul (Merry Christmas)!
Per
December 28, 2002