From poem to mural

The mural is based on Andersen's poem The Two Birds and its famous opening line: “A bird is nesting deep within my breast”. The poem explores themes of love, longing and emotions that are difficult to express, and Don John has transformed this part of Andersen's literary universe into a work of art in the urban landscape.

The opening verse of the poem reads:

A bird is nesting deep within my breast,
Far from branch and leaf and tree;
It sings in sorrow and in strange delight,
Because it dwells so lone in me.
It dares but cling itself to God above,
And look out through the window of the eyes.

H.C. Andersen interpreted through street art

The Two Birds is one of several works in which the Funen-born artist Don John has drawn inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen. Rather than encountering the famous author in a museum, visitors can experience how his poems, stories and motifs are reinterpreted through contemporary art in the city's public spaces.

The mural in Pantheonsgade demonstrates how Andersen's works continue to inspire new artistic expressions. Here, the poem has found new life on a city wall, becoming part of everyday life for both visitors and locals.

Discover more H.C. Andersen-inspired works by Don John in Odense

The Hans Christian Andersen mural in Bangs Boder – a 12-metre-high portrait of Hans Christian Andersen near H.C. Andersen's House.
Little Ida's Flowers in Malmøgade – inspired by Andersen's poem Little Ida's Flowers.
Girl with Dead Bird near Brandts – inspired by Andersen's story The Poor Woman and the Little Canary.

Together, these works show how Andersen's stories and poems continue to live on in Odense and inspire contemporary artists.

A meeting of literature and urban art

For art lovers, The Two Birds offers an opportunity to discover a lesser-known side of Hans Christian Andersen's work. At the same time, the mural demonstrates how a poem written almost 200 years ago can still inspire new interpretations in the public spaces of Odense.