Spinglish! eiku... speak finglish

Tasapainoilu kahdella kielellä jatkuu; mutta molemmilla kielillä tavoite on sama, kertoa ja keskustella suomalaisesta runoudesta; tapahtumista, mielenkiintoisista kirjoista, pinnan alla kytevistä kyvyistä etc. Koska suomeksi tietoa esim. Tuli&Savusta on löydettävissä Tulen omilta sivuilta, aloitan kertomalla enkuksi perusjuttuja Tulesta ja Nihilistä.

I´ll start by telling a few facts about myself and at the same time, about the poetry scene where I´m involved in.

I´m an active contributor in a ten years old poetry society called Nihil Interit. Nihil publishes a poetry magazine called Tuli&Savu, which I´m editing together with Aki Salmela and Olli Sinivaara, both aspiring poets & translators. Tuli&Savu is published four times a year, and our next issue 2/2004 is under construction = in the hands of Leena and Tuukka, graphic designer students from Taik. I´ll talk more about the upcoming issue in my next posts.
We also have our own recently renewed website called Tuli&Savu Net, edited by Leevi Lehto, also a poet & a translator, and the chairman for Nihil Interit (look into Leevi´s own website for more info about him.)
Nihil Interit wishes to create various meetingplaces both for readers and writers of poetry, and in addition to our magazine and website this is achieved by arranging poetry readings and literary clubs, like Kohina (Murmur/Roar) here in Helsinki together with another organization for literature, Nuoren Voiman liitto, and another literary review, Lumooja. Our latest Kohina in May 27th was a hit, the place was crowded! Next time we´ll be hearing Kohina in the end of August.
Nihil Interit also publishes one to two poetry books a year, nowadays only translations. Next book to come out is a collection of poems by Sigitas Geda, a lithuanian comtemporary classic, translated by Leila Joutsen. In the end of this year we`ll be awaiting a collection of Russell Edson`s prose poems translated by Aki Salmela.
I just noticed that I failed to tell any facts about myself. I have been involved with Nihil Interit for four years now, in the beginning hosting a poetry club called Meteli (Noise) together with Esa Mäkinen. I have studied both contemporary literature and finnish literature at the University of Helsinki, and some time during my studies I was seriously, but gradually, bit by some poetic animal. So here we are.

Eka kerta - first time

Kaikki tämä tapahtuu sattumalta, ja ilman harkintaa & suunnittelua, mikä ei ole tyypillistä minulle. Kysymykset, joita en ole osannut ratkaista, kuten millä kielellä kirjoittaisin, miten määrittelisin tämän uudenuutukaisen kirjoitusympäristön rajat, ovat juuri ne tärkeimmät, joita olisi pitänyt miettiä ennenkuin painaa nappia ja sanoo "joo". Mutta tässä ollaan, ja katsotaan mihin päädytään.

Some words in english as well. As you notice, I haven´t even been able to figure out which language to use on my first ever blog, so sudden and unexpected move this was for me, something I found myself doing on a sunday afternoon. What mistakes I have already made I have no idea of, but without a doubt I´ll figure them out eventually.

I´ll end this first post safely with a quote, hold on a minute and I´ll go and find a good one...

Here we go. This line is from Aki Salmela`s loistava/wonderful debut book Sanomattomia lehtiä, from a poem called "Kunstkammer":

"Keskeytä jos olet kuullut tämän aiemmin."

"Interrupt me if you have heard this before."

Näkemisiin siis.