vegard/gist:96918be888ef0a583ebd45fbd5cf5e97

## gistfile1.txt
You must not sleep
Arnulf Øverland, 1937


I woke up one night from a strange dream,
it was like a voice spoke to me,
far away like an underground current -
and I sat up: What do you want with me?

- You must not sleep! You must not sleep!
You must not believe, that it was just a dream!
Yesterday I was sentenced.
During the night they raised the scaffold in the court.
They are coming to get me at five in the morning!

The whole basement here is full,
and all the barracks have basement after basement.
We are lying and waiting in stone-cold cells,
we are lying and rotting in murky holes!

We don't know it ourselves, what to expect,
and who will be the next they fetch.
We moan, we scream - but can you hear?
Is there nothing you can do?

Nobody sees us.
Nobody knows, what is happening to us.
Even more:
Nobody would believe, what happens here every day!

You say it cannot be true,
men cannot be that evil.
Surely there are decent people around?
Brother, you still have a lot to learn!

They said: You shall give your life, if required.
And now we've given it - for nothing, for nothing!
The world has forgotten us! We've been deceived!
You must not sleep any more tonight!

You must not go to your merchants
and think about profits and losses!
You must not blame fields and cattle
and say you have enough on your plate!

You must not sit safe in your home
and say: It is sad, poor them!
You must not accept so very easily
those wrongs which don't harm yourself.
I cry with the last breath of my voice:
You are not allowed to go on and forget!

Do not forgive them; they know what they are doing!
They breathe on the embers of hate and evil!
They like to kill, they relish the screams,
they want to see our world all up in flames!
They wish to drown us all in blood!
Don't you believe it? But you know it!

But you know, that school kids are soldiers,
who flock with song across squares and streets,
excited by their mothers' assurance of glory,
want to protect their country and go to war!

You know of the vile deception of the people,
with heroism and with faith and honour -
you know that child will be a hero,
you know he will wave his saber and flag!

And then he will depart in a rainfall of steel
and remain in a tangle of barbed wire
and rot for Hitler's Aryan race!
You know, that is mankind's purpose and goal!

I didn't understand it. Now it's too late.
My sentence is just. My punishment is deserved.
I believed in progress, I believed in peace,
in work, in unity, in love!
But those who don't want to die in a pack
can try it alone, on the executioner's block!

I cry out in the darkness - oh, could you hear!
There is only one thing to do:
Protect yourself, while your hands are still free!
Save your children! Europe is on fire!

I shivered in the cold. I put on some clothes.
Outside the stars glimmered in the clear sky.
Only a smoldering stripe in the east
warned of the same as the voice of the dream:

The day behind the edge of the earth
rose with a tint of blood and fire,
rose with a fear so breathless,
it felt as if the stars themselves froze!

I thought: Something is happening now. -
Our era is over - Europe is on fire!
	You must not sleep
	Arnulf Øverland, 1937


	I woke up one night from a strange dream,
	it was like a voice spoke to me,
	far away like an underground current -
	and I sat up: What do you want with me?

	- You must not sleep! You must not sleep!
	You must not believe, that it was just a dream!
	Yesterday I was sentenced.
	During the night they raised the scaffold in the court.
	They are coming to get me at five in the morning!

	The whole basement here is full,
	and all the barracks have basement after basement.
	We are lying and waiting in stone-cold cells,
	we are lying and rotting in murky holes!

	We don't know it ourselves, what to expect,
	and who will be the next they fetch.
	We moan, we scream - but can you hear?
	Is there nothing you can do?

	Nobody sees us.
	Nobody knows, what is happening to us.
	Even more:
	Nobody would believe, what happens here every day!

	You say it cannot be true,
	men cannot be that evil.
	Surely there are decent people around?
	Brother, you still have a lot to learn!

	They said: You shall give your life, if required.
	And now we've given it - for nothing, for nothing!
	The world has forgotten us! We've been deceived!
	You must not sleep any more tonight!

	You must not go to your merchants
	and think about profits and losses!
	You must not blame fields and cattle
	and say you have enough on your plate!

	You must not sit safe in your home
	and say: It is sad, poor them!
	You must not accept so very easily
	those wrongs which don't harm yourself.
	I cry with the last breath of my voice:
	You are not allowed to go on and forget!

	Do not forgive them; they know what they are doing!
	They breathe on the embers of hate and evil!
	They like to kill, they relish the screams,
	they want to see our world all up in flames!
	They wish to drown us all in blood!
	Don't you believe it? But you know it!

	But you know, that school kids are soldiers,
	who flock with song across squares and streets,
	excited by their mothers' assurance of glory,
	want to protect their country and go to war!

	You know of the vile deception of the people,
	with heroism and with faith and honour -
	you know that child will be a hero,
	you know he will wave his saber and flag!

	And then he will depart in a rainfall of steel
	and remain in a tangle of barbed wire
	and rot for Hitler's Aryan race!
	You know, that is mankind's purpose and goal!

	I didn't understand it. Now it's too late.
	My sentence is just. My punishment is deserved.
	I believed in progress, I believed in peace,
	in work, in unity, in love!
	But those who don't want to die in a pack
	can try it alone, on the executioner's block!

	I cry out in the darkness - oh, could you hear!
	There is only one thing to do:
	Protect yourself, while your hands are still free!
	Save your children! Europe is on fire!

	I shivered in the cold. I put on some clothes.
	Outside the stars glimmered in the clear sky.
	Only a smoldering stripe in the east
	warned of the same as the voice of the dream:

	The day behind the edge of the earth
	rose with a tint of blood and fire,
	rose with a fear so breathless,
	it felt as if the stars themselves froze!

	I thought: Something is happening now. -
	Our era is over - Europe is on fire!