Poetry Ride in Tartu, 25 November 2014, 9.49 PM

09.12.2014

Just shortly, my name is Mika and I am a finn, who prefers to write in Estonian language since the folks here in Estonia simply read and love my stories so much. I love it too! And there are many many many reasons why I love my home town Tartu. One of the main things is the literature scene. Every single one in town I know writes or reads poetry. That is why I also started to do the same in 1993 when I moved here from Ilomantsi, which is quite near Joensuu, the next stop of the Poetry Ride after Tartu. This is the literature town of the globe for me. Not all of us in Tartu become a poet or a writer, but some of us do. I also considered myself as a hobby writer but when people were talking about a pop writer Mika, I had to start ta carry a weight of the writer´s gown on my shoulder. Tartu is unique in this sense. I know I am already repeating myself, but I need to emphasize it. This town makes you an author. Great. I don´t think about it too often, but sometimes I do, snorting tea, being a poet. Meeting other weirdos like me.

Events like Poetry Ride have traditionally been such occasions. I have met many great writers around the neighbor countries of Estonia here in Tartu and 25 November was not an exception. I was glad to meet again old friend Jan Kaus from the capital of Estonia Tallinn as well as Contra, who came to Tartu from the deepest south of the country, Urvaste village. The new friends were Miia Toivio, Kārlis Vērdiņš and Gunnar Wærness. Sorry guys, but I was too fond of Miia to listen your stuff.

 

This is what I had... Read more

Happy surprises and a new poem on Poetry Ride in Joensuu

07.12.2014

The seminar in Joensuu on 27 November 2014 with poets Miia Toivio, Jan Kaus, Kārlis Vērdiņš and Gunnar Wærness was organized in the cooperation with the University of Eastern Finland. It was also a climax for ending a very popular course of translating poetry supervised by lector of English Languge and Translation Minna Ruokonen and lector of Literature Elina Arminen.

Here comes some feedback from the stundents attending the seminar:

”It was a splendid happening and excellent unity: all parts of it were important, had the right lenght and were compliting each others. Every moment was needed.”

”The Norwegian performance was brilliant!”

”I most certainly don't think that the soul of the poem got lost in the translation.”

”Who wouldn't have known the Estonian and Latvian poetry can be so entertaining. A positive surprise!”

”It was great to hear poets reading their poetry in their own mother tongue!”

”I also liked to know, where you can read and publish poetry in Internet [in Finland].”

”One thing's certain: we need more Estonian poetry!”

”Music rules! The translation [by Miia Toivio] of the song [Fish by Gunnar Wærness] was impressive. Put the Fish to YouTube!”

”Great speeches, captivating performances. I was surprised to notice how interesting it was to listening to totally foreign languages. Multiples languages worked well!

”Poetry can be fun!”

 

Student of Geografy Reima Hyytiäinen got also inspired by Poetry Ride and wrote a poem concerning one day in his life, 27 November 2014. The poem came out very well! The poem is written in Finnish.

 

Joskus aamupäivällä katsoin peiliin ja nielaisin kellon ja

kuuntelin kuinka se alkoi polskia mahassa epätahtiin ja

iloisena kuin ruutana. Seuraa aikaasi! Se muljutti minut

pitkin rantoja, sanoin että opintotukea ei makseta

kiduksina. Kiipesin torniin nähdäkseni mitä tahansa

maallista, katsoin lahtea ja sen kylmää syliä, yritin

kuvitella sen taakse sumuiseen metsään Itä-Suomen

Aluehallintoviraston toiseksi suurimman kaupungin ja... Read more