Hello
Gentle Reader,
Finland
is one of those unique cultures and countries, which exist completely under the
radar. It’s a Nordic country, with a complex language, notoriously difficult to
learn, let alone translate. Its only relatives on the linguistic family tree
are: Estonian and Hungary. In a previous blog post ‘Finnish Finds,’ I called
the Finnish language, a language of: ‘dreams, spells, enchantments, and incantations;
it’s a language of divination.’ Its people herald from a land of forests and frosts;
a sparse population, and tundra’s riddled with reindeer. Few authors from this
Nordic northern country have made any splash outside of the Finnish language
and literary scene—which is a lamented pity, as their perspective is strikingly
unique, with preoccupations to thoughts of divinity, and dreams; existential
ponderings in relation to environmental concerns; as well as questions of the
solitary individual in relation to the grander community. Many great writers
are not known in other languages, and are often only admired in Finland; such
as: the poet, Helvi Juvonen; the late short story master, Raija Siekkinen;
prose writer, Eeva Tikka; and so many left forgotten and unknown at this time. Pentti
Holappa, was one of Finland’s more well-known writers, who was able to appear very
briefly in other languages. Though he wrote novels and plays, Holappa is most well-known
for his poetry, and was considered a few years back a candidate for the Nobel
Prize for Literature; which sadly would pass him over.
Pentti
Holappa’s poetry was known for its gentle lyricism, and being intensely philosophical
as it grappled with concepts such as: sexuality, the destruction of the environment,
human conflicts, war, identity, the nature of memory, as well as the volatility
of sexual attraction. His poems have also be compared to Swedish Poet and Nobel
Laureate, Tomas Transtromer, for their superficial simplicity, and grand depths
which lurk beneath their approachability.
Beyond
his career in poetry and literary endeavors, Pentti Holappa, was briefly the
Minister of Culture in Finland in the early seventies.
It
is sad to admit Gentle Reader, but this post is very late in correlation with Pentti
Holappa’s death; as the poet had passed away on October 10th, in his
home in Helsinki.
Rest
in Peace, Pentti Holappa. Here is hoping in the future, your poems and prose
will be translated into English and other languages, so we too may enjoy your
work.
Thank-you
For Reading Gentle Reader
Take
Care
And
As Always
Stay
Well Read
M.
Mary
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