The HeadRead literary festival would be unimaginable without the poetry mass held at the Niguliste Museum, even though the event itself predates the festival: it originated as part of the Nordic Poetry Festival organised by the translator Eha Vain (1954–2021). For this reason, the Niguliste poetry mass is dedicated not only to poetry but also to the memory of Eha Vain.
This year, six authors will take part. Poet and playwright Kaarel B. Väljamäe (b. 1981) published his sixth poetry collection last year under the pseudonym Bööma, Tumeruuge tuisukuu, inspired by Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, yet seeking to set the brave fragility of poetic expression against the devastation of war.
Known as a prose writer, director, playwright and television journalist, Jim Ashilevi (b. 1984) made his debut as a poet last year with the collection Suutud, which juxtaposes inner darkness with a longing for truth. Poet and prose writer Veronika Kivisilla (b. 1978) gained considerable attention in 2018 with her collection Kui armastus peale tuleb, based on her social media posts; her most recent work is the 2021 collection Helsingi helistikud, a love song both to the city and to love itself.
Leelo Tungal (b. 1947) is no longer simply a writer but a national treasure, best known for her work for children and young people; however, her recently (re)published poetry selection Täisminevik brings together six decades of her poetry written for adults.
Alongside Estonian voices, Ukrainian poet Ljudmõla Taran (b. 1954) will also appear, whose selected collection Paradiisiõunad was published here last year, bringing together poetry written over a period of 20 years. The readings will be accompanied by music performed on bamboo flute by Krista Citra Joonas (b. 1979).
