I have had much to learn from Sweden's poetry and, more

Listen closely to the words of Knut Hamsun, the great Norwegian writer, as he speaks of the poetry of Sweden, saying, “I have had much to learn from Sweden’s poetry and, more especially, from her lyrics of the last generation.” In these words, Hamsun reveals a deep respect for the poetry that has emerged from Sweden, particularly the lyrics of the previous generation, which have, in his eyes, been a source of inspiration and learning. He acknowledges the beauty and power of this poetry—its ability to move and to teach. The poetry of Sweden, for him, is not just a form of art; it is a well of wisdom, a reflection of the soul of the nation, and a guide to understanding deeper truths about human experience.

To understand Hamsun’s admiration, we must turn our gaze to the ancient world, where poetry was more than just an aesthetic pursuit. Homer, in his Iliad and Odyssey, spoke not only to the greatness of the Greek warriors and gods, but to the deep human experiences of love, honor, and loss. Through poetry, Homer sought to convey the truths of existence in a way that surpassed mere intellectual understanding. He used the power of the spoken word to illuminate the deepest parts of the soul, to teach and to guide. In a similar way, Hamsun recognizes that Sweden’s poetry, particularly the lyrics of the last generation, holds within it a profound wisdom that can deepen our understanding of the world and ourselves.

Consider the Swedish poets of the last generation, such as Tomas Tranströmer, whose poetry is steeped in both the personal and the universal. Tranströmer’s work explores the depths of human consciousness and our connection to nature, often evoking the landscapes of Sweden in ways that speak to the internal landscape of the soul. His lyrics, like those of many other Swedish poets, are both deeply reflective and immensely evocative, bridging the gap between the tangible and the intangible. Tranströmer’s poetry captures the essence of what Hamsun admired—poetry that is not just a reflection of the world, but a transformative experience, inviting the reader into a deeper understanding of existence.

The admiration Hamsun expresses for the Swedish lyrics of the last generation speaks to a key truth: poetry has the power to move us beyond the everyday, to elevate our spirits and broaden our understanding. Sweden’s poetry, as Hamsun sees it, has this power—its lyrics resonate deeply because they are not just about beauty or rhythm, but about truth. Poetry, for Hamsun, is a medium through which one can learn about life itself, and the Swedish poets of the last generation, through their words, have opened a door to a richer understanding of the world.

In the same way, Emily Dickinson in the United States, through her short, sharp lyrics, captured a universe of emotion and insight in the smallest of spaces. Dickinson’s poetry was not about the grand narratives of life, but about the intimate and the personal—the fleeting thoughts, the quiet moments, the profound realizations that pass through the soul. Like Sweden’s poetry, Dickinson’s work invites the reader to pause and reflect on the essence of life, to find meaning in the quiet corners of experience. Both poets—Dickinson and those of Sweden’s last generation—use their lyrics not to entertain or to provide grand answers, but to ask questions, to reveal the mysteries of life, and to offer a glimpse into the depths of the human condition.

The lesson here is clear: poetry is not just an art; it is a means of learning, a vehicle for transformation and understanding. As Hamsun suggests, we can learn much from the poetry of other cultures, especially when that poetry speaks to universal themes and emotions. Poetry has the ability to capture the essence of life, to illuminate the human experience in a way that no other medium can. Through the lyrics of poets, we are