Category: News

Here are new events and happenings!

The Dolomite Heel Print

I’m honored to have had excerpts from The Dolomite Heel Print read by Claudia Green in Seattle at the poetry reading evening of Cirque—A Literary Journal for the North Pacific Rim.

Claudia Green reading The Dolomite Heel Print from Mouth Quill—Poems with Ancestral Roots by Kaja Weeks. At Cirque—A Literary Journal of the North Pacific Rim readings August 12, 2023

The Dolomite Heel Print is from the collection Mouth Quill—Poems with Ancestral Roots (Poetry Box, Portland 2020). Its seven sections focus on the island of Saaremaa, Estonia—its natural beauty, horrifying events of World War Two, and their intersection with my life as a young person during the Cold War and much later, the mystery revealed during a visit to the island’s Kuressaare Castle.

Below is a view of Kuressaare Castle, seen with its towers, bastions and the sea behind it (Stefan Hiienurm, Wikipedia, Common License.)

At the center of The Dolomite Heel Print poem is reference to an extraordinary song, Öö Pime (Dark Night) that came to us, children of Estonian refugees, nearly secretly during the Cold War. It was smuggled back to the west by a young relative of some homeland Estonians at a time when those in Estonia, still occupied by Communist Russia, could have suffered greatly had they been exposed. We sang the song amongst ourselves with great reverence, often with teary eyes as it spoke of departure from the ravaged homeland and vows to return one day.

Among those singing Öö Pime was Ensemble Kannel, a singing youth group of traditional Estonian music (Ursula Brady, Angela Dupin, Anneliis Elmend, Tina Karm, Tiiu Messner, Kaja Parming [Founder/Director], Anne Pleer, Kaie Põhi.) . According to newspaper accounts, one of our first public performances of the song was in 1970, but there is an even more historic recording from 1975. It is Ensemble Kannel singing at an important formal event in New York City, a commemoration of Estonian Independence. These were somber yet steadfast annual events, as Estonia was still occupied and regaining of freedom seemed like a dream (which was achieved in 1991). Toward the end of this recording, the audience can be heard spontaneously joining in, showing the widespread impact of the song by this point.

One historic reference in the song was to Estonian martyrs spilling blood round dolomite heel prints (lubjavildi kand), something we could not possibly have fully comprehended the meaning of as teenagers growing up in North America. That mystery was revealed to me decades later when I visited a free Estonia and met the dolomite craftsman of Kuressaare Castle. All these events (and research) eventually coalesced into the poem, The Dolomite Heel Print.

Author Deirdre Callanan, in her praise for poem, writes “Rich with birds and melody, these pages sing, but her incredible “The Dolomite Heel Print” makes sure we understand not all songs are merry. Mouth Quill, a dark crystal studded with light, amazes.“

And author Hala Alyan says, “The Dolomite Heel Print, in particular, is a breathtaking exploration of history and life and identity … a stunning piece! “

the-dolomite-heel-print_full-textDownload

Celebrating Estonian Mother Language Day

I felt very grateful to have been invited to share poetry from my collection Mouth Quill—Poems with Ancestral Roots—at VEMU, Museum of Estonians Abroad celebration of Estonian Mother Language Day (Emakeelepäev).

This day is a national holiday in Estonia, and a beautiful way to preserve and cherish the Estonian language. 

The virtual event included wonderful presenters. Janika Oras, Senior Folklore Scholar of The Estonian Literary Museum gave a fascinating overview of regilaulud, Estonia’s ancient oral song and verse tradition, and talked about how their influence—especially maternal qualities and the presence of multiple realities—permeated poetry in the Mouth Quill collection.

Kaja Telmet and Inga Eichenbaum, of Toronto, each recited a poem from the collection and Kaja Telmet talked about her emotional connection and understanding of the collection from the perspective of one whose family, like mine, were World War II refugees from Estonia.

Triinu Villukas and Madli Oras, two young Estonians and singers currently living in Vienna, Austria, led everyone in regilaulu singing, including the song which inspired content in my poem, Mouth Quill. Piret Noorhani, VEMU’s chief archivist put together a wonderful, rich program and moderated throughout.

You can read an English translation of my remarks here.

remarks-for-estonian-language-day_vemu_kaja-weeks_english-translation-1Download

Forgotten Peoples Voices Resound

The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir performed Veljo Tormis “Forgotten Peoples” music in Berkeley, California, 1990

Thousands of years after Baltic-Finnic peoples settled on and near the shores of the Baltic Sea, Veljo Tormis composed a song cycle, Forgotten Peoples, people on the verge of extinction and whose languages are spoken by a handful of people—Livonians, Votes, Izhorians, Ingrians, Vepsians and Karelians.

I loved writing the piece Estonian Music Week Sparks Reflections of Forgotten Peoples. It memorializes the first time I heard this magnificent music, which was thirty years ago in Berkeley, California, during The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir’s debut USA tour, with Tõnu Kaljuste conducting. I’m so pleased the article about my memories and its continued significance was published by the weekly newspaper, Eesti Elu, in December 2021 (Issue 50, p26.)

My writing was partly inspired by a recent VEMU (Toronto-based Museum of Estonians Abroad) virtual program led by VEMU’s chief archivist, Piret Noorhani, that featured a spectacular documentary by Collegium Musicale and their 3-year quest to sing the Tormis songs while visiting the people portrayed in Tormis’ music. Serendipitously, at about the same time as I saw Collegium Musicale’s documentary, I came across a home video which turned out to have a twenty minute excerpt of the concert I attended thirty years ago! From research, including tracking down the original US Tour agent for the concert, I realized that this concert tour was in all likelihood the first time Tormis’ masterpiece was performed in the United States.

I have since been able to make a digitized copy available to historic and musical organizations in North American and Estonia. I have also created a shorter (approx. 6.5 min) annotated version for you to enjoy.

Excerpt of The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir’s 1990 performance of Veljo Tormis’ “Forgotten People” song cycle in Berkeley, California

I recommend visiting websites of the phenomenal choirs, The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and the Collegium Musicale. Collegium Musicale’s documentary is narrated in Estonian, with wonderful music and footage available to be enjoyed simply by your ears and eyes, here. The Veljo Tormis Virtual Centre‘s website is full of riches, and they also have a presence on Facebook.

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Poems from Mouth Quill sound as Choral Music

“Midsummer Birches,” a poem from my collection Mouth Quill—Poems with Ancestral Roots went live on June 24, 2021 as a choral pieces composed by Brigitte Doss-Johnson and sung by the virtual choir, Laulusild. A traditional old Estonian tune and words were woven with newly composed music set to my poetry. One piece is a celebration of Estonian Jaaniöö (Midsummer’s Eve) and Jaanipäev (Midsummer’s Day).

The English language poem begins by invoking Estonian traditions, referencing age-old verses and songs about this most important holiday: Jaaniöö birch leaves bitter-sweeten the air. A young man’s beloved rides his silk-tufted horse. Kaasike, kaasike, the refrain sounds. Trot with pride, mane bedecked with bangles.

The second poem and song is “The Rise,” which includes a recollection of my mother’s lullaby, an old Estonian song (Uni Tule), which I recall hearing as a very young child in America and realized later would have been sung by my grandmother in Estonia, who I never met. This motif is woven into newly composed music of the poem text . . . sleep mists its way from coastal stones crosses a thousand miles, fall upon my eye.

Singers include individuals from North America, Japan, the Basque region of northern Spain, Malaysia, and Estonians from the U.S., Canada, and Australia.

You can view the videos here:

Musical version of The Rise contains a Runic Verse motif from author’s childhood

The composer Brigitte Doss-Johnson has used the text from my poem The Rise (from the collection Mouth Quill—Poems with Ancestral Roots) to create an cappella choral composition. The old runic song that was an inspiration for the poem is masterfully woven into an SATB setting. Fragments of the old runic song, Uni Tule Lapse Silma Peale (Sleep, Come on the Child’s Eye), survived as early memories of my mother’s lullaby singing, which she would have learned from her own mother, born on the coast of Estonia in the 19th century. The Rise, along with the song Midsummer (from the poem Midsummer Birches) will be performed by a virtual choir.

Mouth Quill—Poem Nominated for Pushcart Prize

I am honored that Mouth Quill, the title poem from my chapbook, Mouth Quill—Poems with Ancestral Roots, has been nominated by The Poetry Box for a Pushcart Prize, an American literary prize.

The poem Mouth Quill was first published in a slightly revised version by the literary journal, Sugar House Review in 2017. To read about the original publication and hear a recording, click here.

Live Poetry Reading! Poems from Mouth Quill—Poems with Ancestral Roots

The Poetry Box, publisher of my book, will host its monthly live Zoom Poetry Reading on Saturday, October 10, 2020, 4 PM Pacific, 7 PM Eastern. I look forward to joining readings of two other poets, Christopher Bogart and Joan Colby (read by Wendy Colby).

Please join me to hear Ancestral Journey—Beneath Ice Sheets, Old Tunes on Spruce, Seabrook Farms (1949), The Songstress and more.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/93392882128?pwd=T2czaFFETEFGbVNidTRLZityRkdCUT09

Meeting ID: 933 9288 2128

Passcode: 954352

Mouth Quill—Poems with Ancestral Roots

The Poetry Box, a small independent publisher in Portland, Oregon, has done a beautiful job with my debut chapbook of poetry, ready now for pre-order here from my page on

CoverFront-MouthQuill
Mouth Quill: Poems with Ancestral Roots book cover, published by The Poetry Box

their website. Please visit to see a description and early reviews.

. . . a haunting intertwining of world history and family history.    ~ April Ossmann

The cover is a stunning photo of Estonian forest and sea by Michael Huang. I am so grateful for his gift to me for this collection.

The print edition is slated for September 30, 2020. At that point, you can also order the book from Amazon or from your favorite bookstores.

The term “mouth quill” (suude sulg) comes from ancient Estonian runic song and is seen as a singer’s magical tool. In a lovely verse known as The Village Tells Me, the singer says she has left home enchanting charms—her mouth quill and her tongue click—(keeleklõks). She bids her brothers to ride home with silver beaded horses to bring them to her so she can sing like birds.

When I was a young student, just starting college, I traveled to Finland to study and listen to rich Estonian field recordings of such music. In these last years, I feel so lucky to have been able to access notated music and even listen to oral history recordings on amazing online runic songs databases in Estonia. As I explored an arc of identity, many of these old songs inspired imagery and language in my poems, as did nature and historic events, both distant and more recent.

 

Poetry book coming!

Baltic Ice Lake with caption

My chapbook of poetry is being published by The Poetry Box and is slated for release in September 2020! The lines below the photo are from the first poem, Ancestral Journey—Beneath Ice Sheets, which begins an imaginary exploration leading to the shores of Estonia. This poem is part of a trilogy, three poems that form the start, middle and end of the collection; the other two being Ancestral Journey—The Milky Way and Ancestral Journey—Helix.

I chose the satellite photo above to share this announcement as it so beautifully illustrates, by way of a (modern) snow line, the approximate glacier lines from 10,000 years ago! You can see Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia and even the small island of Saaremaa in this aerial image. Long ago, glacial ice covered all. When the melting began, I imagine the long journey of our Finnic ancestors, leaving the Urals:

Some will be left in river-bends,
some follow the reindeer north.

Some will look heavenward at traces of bird-flight,
some walk a milky star-path westward.

The term Mouth Quill (collection title and title of an individual poem) is found in runo verse (regilaul)—the word translates to suudesulg and refers to “a singer’s magical tool.” Some of the 21 poems are inspired by themes found in ancient runo verses (with the original runo verses listed in Notes), others by Estonian music, language and historic events. My writing weaves those world views into a life born and lived in America, with deep ancestral roots.

Poet Deirdre Callanan describes Mouth Quill—Poems with Ancestral Roots as “a dark crystal studded with light.”