Friday, December 05, 2008

AILA MERILUOTO: LAURI VIITA, LEGENDA JO ELÄESSÄÄN (A MEMOIR)

Helsinki: WSOY 1974. Third edition, pocket book, 2008, with cover photographs from the motion picture Putoavia enkeleitä. - I'm grateful for the film for the inspiration to read this wonderful book. One of my favourite books of all times, in any language, is L. Onerva: Eino Leino (1932). Both are written by a female poet on a male poet. Neither avoids the terrible issues of madness and alcoholism. Both give insight to the inspiration of the genius. Both are labours of love.
I have been impressed by the short film Lauri Viita - rakentaja (1962), where Lauri Viita unforgettably recites his poem "Alfhild". The short film tells more about him than Putoavia enkeleitä.
Meriluoto reports that in his later years Viita recorded poems in a mannerist way, which was unlike his original, fresh way. It would be interesting to know to which period the short film's recital belongs.

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