Peer Gynt Suites

An old Norwegian folktale called Per Gynt was written into a five act play by another Norwegian, Henrik Ibsen, which he called Peer Gynt, to which composer Edvard Grieg wrote his Suites to accompany the play (some of my favorite classical music). This suite of poems is an interpretation of what three of these compositions accompanied in the play itself. From Grieg's Suite #1 op. 46, though the order was switched in the play and reflected here. Further explanation is exhaustive, I doubt a Crown of Sonnets could do it justice. The suite will consist of a Couplet, a Quatrain, and a Haiku.

In the Hall of the Mountain King (Couplets)

What is this nightmare - this cursed place
where evil troll has evil face
and shouts and yells louder and louder
to slice me up, then boiled in chowder!
This place of goblins, gnomes and trolls
is made of me ... the King's my soul!

The Death of Ase's - Quatrain (his mother)

Dear Mother, we are not of the same brand,
on the one hand a lullaby, on the other a beating?
What wasted time on the cusp of love,
when instead, from that love retreating.
But now, I look upon and kiss your cold brow
and find peace in that always troubled face;
I see hope there, to someday find the same -
for this mortal life I gladly will replace.

Morning Mood - Haiku

on this desert morn
robbed by friends and sought by beasts ~
a peaceful sunrise
Copyright © | Year Posted 2017

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Allison Avatar
November 2, 2017 at 5:57 PM
you chose a wonderful suite of music to inspire you Craig I especially love the haiku as I adore the piece called 'Morning' in fact I can hear it running through my brain as I type I love the way the piece builds up .In fact I've just downloaded it off you tube to listen to!!!:-) hugs jan xx
Andresen Avatar
November 2, 2017 at 3:21 PM
- Thanks for this great writing from Peer Gynt, Craig ... this we teach our children from an early age ... a great legacy in Norwegian history - // Anne-Lise :)
Chircop Avatar
November 2, 2017 at 1:27 PM
To replace the morta life with something better than life has to offer..Loved all the three forms..but mostly that haiku.So glad to read You again Craig.:)
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