nykyrunoudessa

Nykyrunoudessa is a term used in Finnish literary criticism to describe the field and phenomena of contemporary poetry in Finland from roughly the late 20th century to today. The word combines nykyaikainen "modern/contemporary" and runous "poetry" with the essive -essa, indicating a context or domain: "in contemporary poetry." The term is employed to discuss trends that cut across poets, schools, and languages within Finnish poetry.

Usage and scope: It encompasses stylistic experimentation, intertextual references, and hybrid forms that blend written poetry with performance, digital media, and cross-genre collaboration. It also covers multilingual practices, translation-adjacent work, and the influence of social media and online dissemination on how poetry is produced and consumed.

Stylistic features: common concerns include colloquial diction, narrative fragmentation, heightened attention to sound and prosody, and an interest in everyday life and marginal voices. Works described as part of nykyrunoudessa may deploy intermediality, sound poetry, or performative reading practices, and may draw on urban experience, identity, memory, and ecological themes.

Reception: critics differ on the usefulness of the term. Some see nykyrunoudessa as a practical umbrella for observing contemporary practice, while others argue that it risks homogenizing diverse poets and stylistic approaches. Despite disagreements, the concept is widely used to frame discussions about contemporary Finnish poetry's methods and social functions.

Related topics: Finnish poetry, contemporary poetics, literary criticism, intermediality, performative poetry.