100 Danish Poems

The poems harvested for this collection provide a concise overview of Danish poetry, with a representative selection of works by 65 poets. The fresh translations of the poems, the majority of which have not previously been available in English, poignantly capture the many qualities to be found in Danish lyric poetry. Distilled from a rich and long lyric tradition, the collection displays an astonishing range of voices, showcasing the ability of Danish poetry, even while it speaks to a long tradition with many threads running through it, to constantly reinvent and recast itself. The edition is bilingual, allowing the Danish and English texts to be read side by side. An informative introduction outlines the central developments in the history of Danish poetry, situating its most important oeuvres and themes within a larger international framework.

Thomas Bredsdorff is professor emeritus of Scandinavian studies at the University of Copenhagen. Anne-Marie Mai is professor of Danish literature at the University of Southern Denmark. John Irons , who studied modern and medieval languages at Cambridge University, is a prolific translator of Danish poetry. He has lived in Scandinavia since 1968.