Bjørn L. Drengsgaard ● Ebbesensvej 18, 8641 Sorring ● Tlf.: 25 59 79 02 ● E-mail:
(Excerpt of subtitles for film to be published with Tidsskrift for Børne- og Ungdomskultur (Journal of Child and Adolescent Culture), 2005)
I’m a Stick Insect
Directed by Lars Henningsen
Translated by Bjørn L. Drengsgaard
“Poems create a space of possibilities and perception which can’t come about in any other way. I actually think that poems open your mind to perception.”
“Well, a poem is more … it’s more like it pops up. It just sort of comes from you, kind of quickly. It sort of comes from your head and goes down to your arm and then ‘drrrr’ …”
“What the heck is a poem?”
“All words have come from nothing, or almost. Once we didn’t have a word called ‘horse’. Then the horse was running around without a word on!
This time it may be a bit harder to read than the other times, because the words are not familiar to you.
But don’t be afraid to read out the strange words you’ve made up. Read them at the top of your voice. Pretend they are the best words in the world!”
“Perhaps you could read a poem while I’m playing quite softly.”
“I am sand, I live in a hand.”
“I’m a jellyfish, I want to marry a smelly fish.”
“I’m a drake. I swim in a lake.”
“‘I’m a jellyfish, I want to marry a smelly fish.’ How do you like that?”
“I’m a little dog that barks, I love to run around in parks.”
“I’m a heart. I’m warm with love. I’m red. I love my friends and parents.”
“It’s the best day of my life, and Hitler’s dangerous with a knife.”
“I’m Superman. I’ve got the biggest arm muscles.”
“Do you have to make many poems?”
“I suggest you all make 20,000 before you go home. We won’t let anyone out before they have written 20,000 poems.
Sometimes I can’t help saying silly things like that. It’s probably because I’m a writer. But I don’t scare the children. I don’t want to scare the children.”
“You did.”
“OK, so it isn’t true! Write exactly as many poems as you like.”
“You’re so mean.”
I’m a Stick Insect Page 1