Helkavirsiä (Swedish: Helkasånger; English: Whitsongs)[1][2] is a two-part poetry collection by the Finnish poet Eino Leino, published in 1903 and 1916 respectively.[2] Leino wrote the first part in Kangasniemi, in Central Finland, in the summer of 1903, while staying at the summer house of his friend and fellow writer, Otto Manninen.[3][4]
 Part I first edition cover, designed by painter Pekka Halonen | |
| Author | Eino Leino |
|---|---|
| Country | Finland |
| Language | Finnish |
| Genre | Poetry |
| Publisher | Otava, Helsinki |
Publication date | 1903 (part I), 1916 (part II) |
| Pages | 160 |
The collection draws inspiration from the country's national epic Kalevala and other Finnish mythology, merging legends and ballads with modern themes and structures.[4]
Helkavirsiä is considered not only Leino's breakthrough and one of his most notable works, but also seminal in the development of modern Finnish poetry and wider cultural identity.[1][5]
References edit
- ^ a b "Leino, Eino (1878-1926)". Kansallisbiografia.fi. National Biography of Finland. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Helkavirsiä". Kirjasampo.fi (in Finnish). Public Libraries of Finland. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
- ^ "Kangasniemi juhlistaa 100-vuotiaita Helkavirsiä". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 20 June 2003. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Helkavirsiä" (in Finnish). Yle. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
- ^ Ahokas, Jaakko (1973). A History of Finnish Literature. American-Scandinavian Foundation. p. 149. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
External links edit
Look up helkavirsi in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- Helkavirsiä (part I; 1903), digital version online at Digital Collections, National Library of Finland