Bright, Dusky, Bright:

Eeva-Liisa Manner (1921 – 1995) was a central figure in Finnish modernism. Her breakthrough collection, This Journey, was published in 1956 and was highly acclaimed. Manner published eleven collections of poetry in all, as well as prose works, plays for stage and radio, essays, reviews and translations. She was awarded numerous prizes for her work, which has been widely translated.
This is an arresting collection of poems by the Finnish writer Eeva-Liisa Manner (1921-1995), selected and translated by Emily Jeremiah. Manner’s work is spare yet shimmering; it evokes mystery and obscurity by clear and precise means. It is often unnerving – restless, questioning – but also exquisite. Manner’s imagery is startlingly fresh and lovely, and her vision
is subtly compelling. Three of the translations published here have appeared previously, in
Modern Poetry in Translation. One was jointly awarded third prize in the 2008 The Times Stephen Spender poetry translation competition, with Jeremiah’s interpretation being described as ‘delicate’. Such delicacy characterises this important volume.
Emily Jeremiah (b. 1975) is a Lecturer in German at Royal Holloway, University of London. She is the author of an academic book, as well as of fiction, articles, reviews and translations. She lives in London.