Jyrki Kiiskinen
Jyrki Kiiskinen (b. 1963) worked as editor in chief in the Nuori Voima literary magazine in 1991-1994 and Books from Finland in 1995-2000. He is one of the most important literary figures of his generation. He has published four collections of poems, two novels and one children’s book. He was awarded the Eino Leino Prize in 1992, Kalevi Jäntti Prize in 1994 and Yleisradio’s (the equivalent of the BBC) Tanssiva Karhu (Dancing Bear) Prize in 2000.
WHAT LIES BEHIND THE FAMILIAR WINDSCREEN
X (in the series Maisema särkyneen tuulilasin takana)
This is the well
that hid the skull
that gave birth to
the image of god
that created the impala
that ran at a speed
that inspired envy
that gives us strength
that generates a deed
that gives birth to freedom
that constructs
man’s own image
that tunes an engine
that speeds up a car
that gives birth to a god
that crushes a skull
that is flung to a well
that fills up with water
that conceals a current
that dispels the spirit
that dreams a forest
that hides a well
that pierces
a man’s soul
that sprouts a tree
From Kun Elän (When I live), 1999. In the series ”Maisema särkyneen tuulilasin takana”.
that carries a chirping bird
that wakes up a mother
that doesn’t fly away.
- X (in the series Maisema särkyne…
- XI
- XII
- Brother
- Four a.m.
- Song
- Radio
- Method
- Estrangement
- A wish
- Someone else
- The hours of night
- On the freedom of undressing
- No one
- I fall upwards