Contents 2 A Perfect Day by Veronika Kivisilla 6 5+5. A conversation between Viivi Luik and Tõnu Õnnepalu 15 Acre by Tõnu Õnnepalu 18 EWOD: A major new ongoing Estonian literary-cultural project by Sven Vabar 20 The greatness of little things. An interview with Birgita Bonde Hansen by Eva Velsker 28 Jaan Kross: When Prison is the Price of Existence by Ian Thomson 32 Allan Cameron: “There can never be too many books!” by Lea Kreinin 36 Juhan Liiv: A Search for the Pure Word by Mathura 40 You’ll never tire of boring things. An interview with Meelis Friedenthal by Mihkel Kunnus 46 Anti Saar’s recipe for a great children’s book by Jaanika Palm 49 Pärt and the Plums by Anti Saar 52 The Mystery of Andres Allan Ellmann by Lauri Sommer 55 Poetry by Andres Allan 56 Book reviews by Taavi Hallimäe, Krista Kumberg, Siim Lill, Maarja Helena Meriste, Mari Niitra, Aare Pilv, Aro Velmet, Piret Viires 70 Selected translations A perfect day by Veronika Kivisilla A perfect day naturally begins early in the wrapped up and delivered to my new home morning. That is my time! I hope I never any day now. All I can envision is arranging learn to sleep in! I’d never exchange the my books on the shelves and being awash promising silence of early mornings for with blissful satisfaction. anything else. In winter, I light a fire; on warmer days, I take a stroll around the yard Books. All those that are unfinished, and or occasionally, if I’ve time aplenty, go on a those I plan to read. I’m often partway longer walk through the neighborhood. through several at once unless one has seized me completely. Which does happen. My mind is sharp, but I don’t get right down Often. And then there are a few vital books, to work. It’s nice to quietly watch the world ones tied to a certain sense of security as it gradually rouses from slumber. Every and well-being, that I must always have little movement and sound is meaningful; on hand. Last summer, temperatures in it speaks worlds. When traveling, I like to Estonia were scorching for a long while. observe the way an unfamiliar city wakes For me, it was quite unbearable – I didn’t up, especially when I haven’t any urgent, scuttle straight out into the blazing sun and high-priority obligations planned for the the enervating heat. Instead, I spent my morning, giving me a chance to wander the days indoors behind closed curtains, read- streets and imagine what kinds of lives are ing for hours on end with a cooling bever- lived by the passersby hurrying past and age in reach. what they might be up to now. I simply drift aimlessly, maybe getting a little lost as The rhythm of my work and personal life I do (a wonderful thing!), and without any can be characterized like this: there are advance knowledge put my faith in seren- spurts, and then there is idling. Times of dipity for the café I enter randomly upon idling are necessary in order to frenetically that early morning to be COZY and JUST create something in a flash. My writing can RIGHT. also be described and characterized in this way. Over a very long time, I’ve managed to A perfect day certainly holds a wealth of nearly rid myself of all the Protestant guilt all kinds of daydreams. Presently, I’m that scolds you for simply being idle; that dreaming of the bookshelves that should be says one should always be doing something 2 ESTONIAN LITERARY MAGAZINE · AUTUMN 2019 3 VERONIKA KIVISILLA · PHoto BY VILLE KIVISILLA ‘useful’, ever productive and ‘shooting from To be the mild western breeze meandering the hip’. over the terrains that have grown too hot or cold because of me – and nearly lifeless. I love to sit in a garden or a park. And obviously by the sea, if possible. I love to To be, now, that alleviation and life’s return. let my mind wander. Observing the tini- est of phenomena and putting them into And for you, my love, to be that unexpected, words is a fantastic activity and exercise. refreshing gust just as you pause wearily to I often set tasks for myself and attempt to wipe sweat from your brow and wonder: phrase a situation, a feeling, or a phenom- where on earth did this gentle relief come enon. Something from the micro- and the from so suddenly? macro-worlds. Actually, I first wrote that poem in It’s especially enchanting to do noth- Norwegian and only later in my native ing while everyone else is doing so much Estonian. I began studying Norwegian early around you, even if it’s just growing up so this year and if I only had the time, I’d dig plainly! deeper and deeper into it. A new language! The thrill of being capable of expressing Sitting in the yard and becoming one with something in a new tongue so soon. the day, and afterwards writing something such as this: It’s an uplifting sense of success and of being completely, helplessly hobbled, all at Sitting in the yard and becoming one with the same time. the day. So right now, I feel that one component of a Becoming one and being that day. nice, perfect day would definitely be having time to work on my Norwegian, even if just Removing your glasses, closing your eyes. a smidgen: to read, try to put something Drifting off for a moment. Still seeing and down on paper, or sing a Norwegian song. hearing all. A day wouldn’t be perfect (or even a little bit Being the cloudless sky. good, for that matter) without singing and music. I sing every day, at every opportu- Being the juices of all the trees and the nity, and almost everywhere. I can’t imagine honey and tears of sap. a day without singing. It’s my form of exer- cise, in a sense – something with which I And especially the cherry tree in her hope keep myself in shape; which I allow to pass of new fruits. through my whole being; with which I heal myself. It is the key to different cultures and And the bee, like a flying vessel of nectar. languages. And the robin whose nest is so snug and Music, my daily rescue. I’ve mused before ready. about how it’s one of the assets that is 4 ESTONIAN LITERARY MAGAZINE · AUTUMN 2019 always with me and will always endure – Lastly, being with my children. Listening it organizes and assembles my molecules to their stories, playing word-games, being even in the most catastrophic of times. As I affectionate, being silly, our own little inside write this, 16th century Venetian lute music jokes and joys. is playing in the background. I feel exceptionally satisfied on the days I’m It’s important to remove yourself from your able to write a longer letter. One to someone usual trajectory. By that, I don’t mean one who READS. should always push further and accomplish something unusual or extraordinary. A Since most of the little writing I do is done slight Renaissance-like diversion enlivens on, and about, days just like these, a liter- even the most routine day imaginable. By ary day needn’t be anything special to be a Renaissance, I mean openness. Looking at perfect day for writing. Come to think of it – someone for longer than a glance, immers- all that put together is incredibly special, ing in an unexpected conversation, peer- after all. ing into an unanticipated nook, taking a moment to observe what’s behind you in order to better see what lies ahead. I’ve been spending a lot of time in Helsinki lately, where there are new paths and places to discover. An out-of-the-everyday envi- ronment is always refreshing, as are my VERONIKA KIVISILLA is a storyteller and long strolls through the city and the invig- bard, who made her poetry debut in 2011 orating dips in the sea on Seurasaari. with the collection Dear Calendar. She is the kind of poetess who believes that today, literature must be brought to the However, there are still many more com- reader and the author must read their ponents to perfection! I won’t even begin words aloud. In 2018 Kivisilla made her to write about food and drink – topics that prose debut, and 2019 will bring two new would take at least two pieces just as long poetry collections by her. as this. 5 5+5 A conversation between writers Viivi Luik and Tõnu Õnnepalu V: Have you felt great reverence at us say that memory of great reverence. Or, least once in your life? rather, the memory of before what, or in regard to what, that reverence occurred. T: I have no idea what great reverence is. Even the words “before” and “in regard to” Whenever anyone talks about the great are wrong, because it forms both within and emotions and events they have encoun- without you simultaneously, and you your- tered, I think with regret and even a hint of self are always within the thing, not outside jealousy that I’ve never had anything like of it. Perhaps there are people who are that. Those never happen to me! Only others always like that; who know it perpetually. have them, if they can be believed. Though The moments I know are only fleeting and I don’t always believe them, either.