The Smelter, year 2008

I am watching a wreck, 

a sleeping cyclope, 

a fallen giant.

Born 1906 - or was it 1908?

-It took two years to build.

Then a short century of Life: 

Work, 

production, 

work conflicts,

strikes and factory closure in the 1920-ies, 

depresseion in the 1930-ies, 

wartime occupation in the early 1940-ies, 

new prosperity in the 1950-ies and the 60-ies 

- this Smelter, cornerstone of

the modern 

welfare society.

For almost one hundred years

the Smelter provided work 

to hundreds of men and 

housing, food, clothing and a decent life

to their families. 

Then, 2003, finally it is over -

no longer viable: 

«Get rid of it!»

«Tear the whole shit down!»

But why are they so hateful, these who say:

«Get it down!»

«Get it away, this shit!»

 Why this blind anger?

Why?

I am watching a wreck, 

a sleeping giant, 

a fallen cyclope.

Think about it -

for nearly one hundred years

the Smelter provided income,

life and welfare

to all these families in Odda.

Why not let imagination play? 

Why not try to think a little?

Can it be used for something,

this old Smelter and the history linked to it?

Can it still be useful -

this fallen giant

this cyclope

this mammoth

this tired monster

this herculean -

our exhausted elephant

- and all

the stories

behind this huge,

dirty, carbide smelling,

fallen giant’s body - 

can it be used for something?

Why such hatred erupts? -

«Tear the whole shit down.» 

What is this, actually?

One silent, rainy October Sunday

I climbed in there again,

I was walking up there 

on the platform

under the huge rooftop and 

I read this inscription 

in the soot black window:

Yes, 

then I was thinking: 

What 

was their life, 

«small Lars and tiny Kari». 

- How 

was their life, 

and what happened 

further?