Authors

Finnish · 1878–1926

Eino Leino

Eino Leino was the most celebrated Finnish lyric poet of the early twentieth century — called the 'national poet of Finland' — whose Helkavirsiä (1903, 1916) fused Kalevala mythology with European symbolism into a body of verse of extraordinary beauty and intensity. He was a prolific journalist, playwright, and translator as well as a poet. His personal life was turbulent: alcoholism, failed marriages, and financial instability shadowed his career. He died at forty-seven. His poem 'Nocturno' is among the most beloved texts in Finnish literature.