From Reetta Pekkanen, Coordinator at Arteles : A Few Contemporary Finnish Poets
 |
| Harry Salmenniemi |
 |
| Eino Santanen |
Perhaps he's the best-known and most valued contemporary poet at the moment. Brilliant, one of my personal favorites. Has published 5 books of poetry, all very different from each other. "Texas, sakset" (2010) (sakset = 'scissors') marks a culmination point in the flarf/google-poetry genre in Finland - it never got bigger or better than that. Sadly I don't own a copy of that book, but I have all the others if you want to have a look. None of his books have been translated, at least not that I know of, which I find strange. Those short ones behind the link are maybe not the best example of his work.
Eino Santanen (b. 1975): http://lettretage.de/soundout/en/banknote-poetry-eino-santanen-finnland
Another interesting poet that is yet to be translated into English. Santanen's work leans towards performance / performative poetry, and he has done many interesting experiments such as writing poems on banknotes. A videowork of the process and of him performing the poems: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfpRZe29VFY
 |
| Tua Forsström |
Tua Forsström (b. 1947): http://www.poetryinternationalweb.net/pi/site/poet/item/14297/11622/Tua-Forsstrom Again, one of my personal favorites. this Finnish poet writes in Swedish. Perhaps she counts more as a modernist. Her fragmented, mournful yet warm, story-like way of writing poetry is really quite unique.
And this list is not complete without information about Reetta Pekkanen:
Her book, Pieniä Kovia Nuppuja, Small Hard Buds, has received recognition.
Just a note: This list is not comprehensive.
If you would like to let me know of other Finnish poets, please reply to this post!
