Eino Leino

Poet, born in Paltamo, C Finland. He studied at Helsinki, and went into journalism as a literary critic. He developed the Kalevala metre into a distinctive style of his own, notably in Helkavirsiä (1903–16, Whitsongs). He also wrote novels, and made fine translations of classics, including those of Dante and Goethe.

Eino Leino (July 6, 1878 - January 10, 1926) was a Finnish poet and journalist, considered one of the important developers of Finnish poetry. His poems combine modern poetry and old Finnish folk poems; The themes often are from nature, love, and despair, but he also wrote poems concerning current political events and ideals. Leino's poems are still widely read in Finland.

Eino Leino was born as Armas Einar Leopold Lönnbohm in Paltamo. His first published poem dates to when he was twelve; the first actual collection of poems Maaliskuun lauluja was published when he was 18. After that, over 70 books of poems and stories were published by him. Possibly the most famous of these are the two poem collections Helkavirsiä (1903 and 1916), in which he extensively uses Finnish mythology and folklore.

In the beginning of his career.

Leino was not lucky in his personal life, which shows in his poems;

Leino died 47 years old, but for several years before that he had been depressed and felt that he was old and tired. As throughout his life, the poems from this time period reflect his feelings of despair.