19 Jun

Kristján frá Djúpalæk

Kristján frá Djúpalæk was born on July 16th in 1916 at Djúpilækur in North Múlasýsla. He studied at Eiðar college in 1936-37 and Akureyri college in 1938. He was a farmer at Staðartunga in Hörgárdalur 1938-43 and a labourer in Akureyri from 1943-49.
During his years in Hveragerði, from 1950-61, Kristján first worked as a labourer but later as a teacher both there and in Þorlákshöfn. He published three poetry books at that time in addition to translating poems for children’s plays and writing song lyrics. Kristján’s poems were focussed more on content than form. They showed wisdom and humanity, warmth and humour but also the contrasts of light and darkness. Just over one hundred songs have been written to Kristján’s poems.

Úr Píla pína: ævintýri með söngvum

Um þetta leyti árs þegar þegar dagurinn og nóttin eru að verða jafn löng þá eru mýsnar uppteknar við að hreinsa út úr forðabúrum sínum alls konar rusl, hismi og hýði, afganga af mat og annað dót frá vetrinum. Hreinlætið láta þær ganga fyrir öllu.
Nema ástinni.

The content of the text excerpt above from the book Píla pína: ævintýri með söngvum (Píla Pína: An adventure with songs) is roughly the following:

Around this time of year, when the day and night are almost just as long, the mice are busy cleaning and separating from their provisions all kinds of garbage, chaffs and peels, leftovers and other things accumulated during winter. Above all they cherish being tidy. Except for love which they cherish even more.

Published works

Frá nyrztu ströndum 1943
Villtur vegar 1945
Í þagnarskóg 1948
Lífið kallar 1950
Þreyja má þorrann 1953
Það gefur á bátinn 1957
Við brunninn 1960
7×7 tilbrigði 1966
Í víngarðinum 1966
Þrílækir 1972
Akureyri og norðrið fagra 1974
Sólin og ég 1975
Óður steinsins 1977
Punktar í mynd 1979
Litla músin Píla pína 1980
Fljúgandi myrkur 1981
Á varinhellunni1984
Dreifar af dagsláttu 1986
Fylgdarmaður húmsins 2007

Translations

Vísnabók æskunnar 1970
Ævintýri í Mararþaraborg 1974
Þýddi ljóð í eftirtalin barnaleikrit:
Dýrin í Hálsaskógi
Kardimommubærinn
Síglaðir söngvarar
Galdrakarlinn í Oz
Tommi og fíllinn
Karamellukvörnin
Rauðhetta
Jólaævintýri Dickens