Page 42 - September 2020

LITTERATEUR

In the end we are all loosers. The most valuable things in life can't be bought for money;
love, beauty, happiness, a strong family and good friends. But there is no reason for
making a mystery out of it, money, shares and the stock exchange belong to reality, just
like poetry, this contradiction is part of the comedy.

NS: I know you have been asked about Danish poetry in previous interviews. For the benefit
of Arab readers could you give us a brief idea about contemporary Danish poetry: poetic
trends, new voices, how Danish poetry converges or diverges with European and/world
poetry, and how Danish people receive poetry.

Niels Hav: Denmark is a small nation, surrounded by water, we are only five million people,
and poetry is a small branch here as everywhere. A growing trend in Danish poetry seems
to be an awaking political awareness of global issues as the postcolonial imbalance
between rich and poor countries, climate challenges et cetera. Female poets contribute
more and are stronger than ever before. Inger Christensen was a unique voice of
international quality, she died a few years ago. Her Butterfly Valley is a wonderful sonnet
cycle of exquisite depth and beauty. Pia Juul writes fairytale poetry full of cruelty and
magic, and Ursula Andkjær Olsen juggles with the language of crystal clear paradoxes.
Another trend would be the autobiographical prose poem where the poet talks about his
background, personal problems or family life. Sometimes it seems almost private, but it´s
also a mirror for new generations. Through the last decades immigration has supplied our
country with people from all parts of the world, they bring along new food and fresh ideas,
and they enrich Danish art and literature in new ways. Something is happening.

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