Sirkka-Liisa Selja

1920 - 2017

Finland

Sirkka-Liisa Selja is a farmer’s daughter from Koskis in Tavastland, took her upper school leaving examination in 1942, and made her debut that same year with her poetry collection Vielä minä elän. Her work Taman lauluja, 1945, is a remarkably modern, experimental work that, in the form of prose poetry, depicts the principle of femininity as being what makes a balance between the world and life.

In her later poetry collections such as Enkelin pelto, 1957, Vierailulla ketun talossa, 1966, and Unitie, 1985, she re-addresses the theme of femininity, this time, however, adding more intimate dimensions.

Additions by the editorial team 2011:

The above biography was first published in 1998. Since then, Sirkka Selja has published the poetry collections Puut herättävät muistini, 2000, Mahdottomuuden ylistys, 2005, and Riikinkukon lapsi, 2010.

Articles about her