reevaluation
11 December 07
I’ve been reading the tanka translations of Tuomas Anhava, the occasionally mind-clinging abstractions of Pentti Saarikoski, and the powerfully imagistic, bohemian freeverse of Arto Melleri, who is my new literary hero. I’ve never given my compatriot writers a chance before, because all the poets I’ve read — until now — have been terrible. and most contemporary finnish poets ARE terrible. my taste is unforgiving, but it’s for the best. maybe these guys’ll be a haven for me from now on.
