"Kohotettu keihäs : Vapausrunoja" by Larin-Kyösti is a collection of poems written in the early 20th century. The verses fuse Finland’s seasonal landscape with a fervent, patriotic call for freedom, reflecting the nation’s struggle for independence and its moral rebuilding. The voice exhorts citizens and soldiers, honors the fallen, condemns oppression and factionalism, and salutes kindred Estonians and notable cultural figures. The result is a rousing, national‑romantic lyric sequence rather than a narrative. The opening of the collection moves from a nature‑driven calendar cycle to outright freedom poetry: first “Mensualia” personifies the seasons and each month from January to December, turning weather and harvest into emblems of endurance and renewal. It then pivots to martial and civic pieces that celebrate the lifting of “the raised spear,” depict solemn troops on the march, praise youth and the Civil Guard, call aid to Estonia, and hymn the white day of victory and the anniversary of independence. Interwoven are agrarian and craft voices (farmer, merchant, smith, soldier) that imagine rebuilding a just nation through work, law, and vigilance, alongside sharp denunciations of Bolshevism and internal betrayal. A striking vignette of a tower watchman who keeps sounding the alarm as his own home burns adds tragic heroism, while a New Year’s song satirizes political posturing. This portion closes by turning toward tributes, beginning with an ode to August Strindberg. (This…
These books are free to read. Each is in the public domain in the United States; check your own country's rules before you copy or share one.
