Based in an analysis of Inger Hagerup’s poem «Kvelden lister seg på tå» [«Evening comes tiptoeing»], the article explores the possibilities for a sustainable literature education prioritizing complexity and the uncanny. The theoretical foundation is the concept of «the sublime» as defined by Immanuel Kant and interpreted by the ecological thinker Timothy Morton. Furthermore, the reading of the poem draws on theories of the lyric as affective form, as well as the hermeneutic implications of Kristin Hallberg’s concept of iconotext. With these approaches, the article highlights the tension in the poem between the sense of safety and the uncanny, thus exploring how poetry for children can foster an ability to dwell in complexity and uncertainty. In this way, literature education can stimulate a sustainable, humble weakness towards the environment.