Jóhannes úr Kötlum (born ''Jóhannes Bjarni Jónasson'', November 4, 1899 – April 27, 1972) was an Icelandic author/ poet and a member of parliament. He is one of the most loved Icelandic poets – not least for his verse for children and how beautifully his words flow in the Icelandic language making them ideal for songs. His poems have been a constant inspiration for composers,

songwriters A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music ...

and musicians in Iceland. More than two hundred songs and compositions have been written based on his poems, some of them performed by internationally acclaimed artists such as

Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...

performing the song "The Christmas Cat". One of the salient figures of modern Icelandic poetry, Jóhannes mastered both the intricate traditional forms and the modern, but as an outspoken, idealistic and sometimes scathing critic of

political institutions In political science, a political system means the type of political organization that can be recognized, observed or otherwise declared by a state. It defines the process for making official government decisions. It usually comprizes the govern ...

, he courted controversy and often drew the ire of political opponents. Jóhannes began his career as a neo-romantic poet in the 1920s, but later became a leading force among the radical poets of the depression era. After WWII he revolted against the traditional form, renewing his poetry through his originality and artistry. He was a spokesman for peace throughout his life and fought vigorously against Iceland’s occupation by foreign armies.

Life

Jóhannes was born in 1899 at Goddastaðir farmstead, near the head of Hvammsfjörður in the

Dales Dale or dales may refer to: Locations * Dale (landform), an open valley * Dale (place name element) Geography ;Australia *The Dales (Christmas Island), in the Indian Ocean ;Canada *Dale, Ontario ;Ethiopia *Dale (woreda), district ;Norway *Dal ...

of Northwestern Iceland. Despite poverty, Jóhannes was educated and graduated as a primary school teacher in 1921, a profession he practiced for more than a decade, first in the countryside and then in Reykjavík. From then on he worked as an

editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, orga ...

and an author, first in Reykjavík and then in 1940 when he moved to

Hveragerði Hveragerði (, "hot-spring yard") is a town and municipality in the south of Iceland, 45 km east of Reykjavík on Iceland's main ringroad, Route 1 (Iceland), Route 1. The river Varmá runs through the town. Overview The surrounding area ...

, a small town in the South of Iceland which became known as th
Artists Colony
in the 1940s. He moved back to Reykjavík in 1959 where he lived from then on.

Works

In 1932, Jóhannes úr Kötlum published his best-loved children's book: ''Jólin koma'' (Christmas is Coming – Verse for Children). One of the poems in the book, "The Yuletide-Lads," reintroduced Icelandic society to Yuletide folklore and established what is now considered the canonical thirteen Yuletide-lads or

Yule Lads Icelandic Christmas folklore depicts mountain-dwelling characters and monsters who come to town during Christmas. The stories are directed at children and are used to scare them into good behavior. The folklore includes both mischievous prankste ...

, their personalities and connection to other folkloric characters. Since then ''Christmas is Coming'' has been an integral part of Icelandic Christmas traditions and helped preserve age-old folklore in modern culture. A seasonal bestseller from the start, few other books have been reprinted as many times in Iceland.

Awards and nominations

Jóhannes received awards for his celebratory verses in the Parliament Millennium Celebrations of 1930 and the Republic of Iceland Festivities in 1944. He was awarded the Silver Horse, the Icelandic Newspapers Literature Award, in 1970. He was nominated twice for the

Nordic Council Literature Prize The Nordic Council Literature Prize is awarded for a work of literature written in one of the languages of the Nordic countries, that meets "high literary and artistic standards". Established in 1962, the prize is awarded every year, and is worth ...

; in

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

and

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, U.S. ...

Bibliography

Poetry

* 1926: ''Bí bí og blaka'' * 1929: ''Álftirnar kvaka'', poems * 1932: ''Ég læt sem ég sofi'', poems * 1932: ''Jólin koma'', poems (for children) - established what is now considered the canonical thirteen

* 1933: ''Ömmusögur'' (for children) * 1935: ''Samt mun ég vaka'' * 1937: ''Hrímhvita móðir'' * 1939: ''Hart er í heimi'' * 1940: ''Eilífðar smáblóm'' * 1941: ''Bakkabræður'' (for children) * 1945: ''Sól tér sortna'' * 1946: ''Ljóðið um Labbakút'' (for children) * 1949: ''Ljóðasafn I-II'' selected poems * 1952: ''Sóleyjarkvæði'' * 1952: ''Hlið hins himneska friðar'' * 1955: ''Sjödægra'' * 1959: ''Vísur Ingu Dóru'' (for children) * 1962: ''Óljóð'' * 1964: ''Tregaslagur'' * 1966: ''Mannssonurinn'' * 1970: ''Ný og nið'' * 1972-76: ''Ljóðasafn I-VIII'', selected poems * 1984: ''Ljóðasafn IX'', selected poems * 1987: ''Saga af Suðurnesjum'' (for children) * 1988: ''Segja vil ég sögu af sveinunum þeim'' (for children) * 2001: ''Jólin okkar'' (for children) * 2010: ''Ljóðaúrval'', selected poems

Novels

* 1934: ''Og björgin klofnuðu'' * 1943: ''Verndarenglarnir'' * 1949: ''Dauðsmannsey'' * 1950: ''Siglingin mikla'' * 1951: ''Frelsisálfan''

Stories

* 1938: ''Fuglinn segir'' (for children)

Essays

* 1958: ''Roðasteinninn og ritfrelsið'' * 1965: ''Vinaspegill''

Translations

* 1934: ''Kak I'' (with Sigurður Thorlacius) Vilhjalmur Stefansson and Violet Irwin * 1935: ''Kak II'' (with Sigurður Thorlacius) Vilhjalmur Stefansson and Violet Irwin * 1935: ''Mamma litla I'' (with Sigurður Thorlacius) Élise de Pressensé * 1936: ''Mamma litla II'' (with Sigurður Thorlacius) Élise de Pressensé * 1938: ''Himalajaförin'' (with Sigurður Thorlacius) Queling * 1946: '' Salamöndrustríðið'' Karel Čapek * 1946: ''Fimm synir'' Howard Fast * 1948: ''Annarlegar tungur'' (various selected poets) * 1955: ''Saga af sönnum manni'' Boris Nikolaevich Polevoĭ * 1957: ''Vegurinn til lífsins I''

Anton Semyonovich Makarenko Anton Semenovich Makarenko ( ua , Анто́н Семенович Мака́ренко, 13 January 1888 – 1 April 1939), a Ukrainian and Soviet educator, social worker and writer, became the most influential educational theorist in the ...

* 1957: ''Vegurinn til lífsins II''

* 1958: ''Frú Lúna í snörunni'' Agnar Mykle

References

External links

Jóhannes Bjarni Jónasson
Encyclopædia Britannica entry *
johannes.is - Ritaskrár
' {{DEFAULTSORT:Johannes Ur Kotlum Kotlum, Johannes ur Kotlum, Johannes ur Icelandic poets Icelandic communists 20th-century Icelandic people Johannes ur Kotlum