A marvelous collection…
Originally published in Danish (in “thybomål” dialect), Westergard’s excellent poetry collection depicts “hygge” in its various aspects as practiced or rendered in the outskirts of Denmark (in the northwestern region of Jutland called Thy). Divided into three parts, the collection explores the current political themes, religion, gender issues, and immigration in both Denmark and the EU. However, the major chunk of the collection goes toward intriguing depictions of Danish folk culture. Alternating between the voices of different characters, the poems in the first part “The Past,” evoke intriguing picture of rural Denmark. “Ode to Craftsmen,” provides a lively introduction to a bricklayer while “My Father’s Farm” beautifully pays homage to a farmer’s bond with his farmland despite its productiveness. In “The Accident at Oster Skaarup,” the tragedy that strikes a farmer’s family comes alive in the reader’s mind on both a visual and a literal level. The other two parts (The Present and The Past) are brief and deal with various political and social issues (“Handel’s Mentality”, “Refugee From the Homeland”). The tone of this English translation which is a collaboration between the author and the Irish poet, Mary-Jane Holmes, is both inquisitive and playful. Informative and intriguing, the collection comes out as deeply personal despite its obvious political theme. Westergard is definitely a talent to look for in the future!
Danish Northwest: Hygge Poems from the Outskirts
by Peter Graarup Westergard
Troubadour Publishing Ltd.
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Pub date May 9, 2019
ISBN 9781838590390
Price $12.98 (USD) Paperback
