
audiobook
Produced by Tapio Riikonen
A vivid gathering of 19th‑century Finnish verses, this collection was crafted for temperance meetings and quiet evenings at home. The poems blend earnest religious devotion with stark calls for sobriety, echoing the moral fervor of an era where alcohol was seen as a societal scourge. Original hymns sit alongside lively translations, each line aiming to lift spirits while urging restraint.
Beyond solemn chants, the book includes playful “pillar” poems that poke fun at tavern life, from a cold bath in a pigsty to a tailor’s unexpected cure. The language swings between reverent invocations and earthy humor, offering listeners a window into the cultural pulse of the time. Whether recited aloud in a meeting or absorbed in personal reflection, the verses invite contemplation of personal strength, community, and the promise of a clearer future.
Language
fi
Duration
~1 hours (65K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
Aug 9, 2011
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
1852–1946
A Finnish schoolteacher, writer, and translator, he wrote with a clear moral purpose and helped bring literature and practical texts to Finnish readers. His work is especially tied to temperance poetry and to the growth of Finnish-language reading culture in the late 19th century.
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A Finnish teacher and poet whose work grew out of the late 19th-century temperance movement, he wrote verse meant to be shared aloud at meetings and at home. His surviving books offer a glimpse of everyday moral and social concerns in Finland of his time.
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