author
Yrjö Jylhä
1903–1956
Best known for turning the trauma of the Winter War into unforgettable verse, this Finnish poet wrote with unusual clarity, gravity, and force. His collection Kiirastuli remains one of the landmarks of Finnish poetry.
3 Audiobooks
Ruoskanjäljet : Runoja
by Yrjö Jylhä
Hurmioituneet kasvot : Runoja
by Elina Vaara, Yrjö Jylhä, Olavi Paavolainen, Ilmari Pimiä, Katri Vala, Lauri Viljanen
Kurimus : Runoja
by Yrjö Jylhä
About the author
Born in Tampere on July 21, 1903, Yrjö Jylhä was a Finnish poet and translator. He first published poetry in the 1920s, and over time became known for a voice that could be both disciplined and deeply intense.
Jylhä is most closely associated with Kiirastuli (1941), his celebrated collection shaped by his experiences in the Winter War, where he served as a company commander. The book has long been regarded as a classic of Finnish lyric poetry because it brings frontline experience into sharp, memorable language without losing its human weight.
He also translated major writers into Finnish and received the Pro Finlandia Medal in 1948. Jylhä died in Turku on December 30, 1956, but his work continues to stand out for its moral seriousness and emotional precision.