Evening of Lithuanian Literature in English

Next to the gorgeous neo-gothic Niguliste Church in Tallinn’s Old Town is an all-English independent bookstore called Rüütel & Matilda. It’s a cozy bookshop, inviting and homely, and on 20 August, it held an evening dedicated to Lithuanian literature introducing Vilnius Review, a literary journal showcasing Lithuanian poetry and prose translated into English. The room was packed when I arrived ten minutes before night’s official beginning, but the owner warmly welcomed me in and set down a chair for me in the front. 

Saulius Vasiliauskas, the current editor-in-chief of Vilnius Review, and Marius Burokas, the previous editor-in-chief, kicked off the evening with an introduction to the journal. Vilnius Review is a mostly online magazine that provides an overview of contemporary Lithuanian poetry, fiction, plays, and more translated into English. Once a year they release a print edition of the journal, with hundreds of pages of poetry and prose. The editors passed around last year’s edition and mentioned they had won a D&AD Award for the design of the magazine. Indeed, the color scheme and font were playful, easy to read, and made you want to instantly immerse yourself in the journal.

After the presentation, four writers, including the editors, read their work. Austėja Jakas, a graphic designer and poet, started by reading her poems in English. Painful, beautiful, and vulnerable, her poems touched a part of my previous self and a long-forgotten life. Through the observations of her own experience, I felt a sense of understanding. Austėja guided us through difficult times and moments of self-reflection, encouraging us to reflect on our past. Even though she explained with a nervous chuckle that her voice was about to get shaky and she felt anxious, she did a magnificent job and made me want to read more.

Even more harrowing were the poems of Marius Burokas and Jurgita Jasponytė. Both these authors focused on reciting their poetry depicting their experience with the war in Ukraine. Marius has done humanitarian work in Ukraine, helping out soldiers with transportation, medical supplies, and other equipment. His attachment to the gruesome reality that Ukraine faces daily offered a reality check for me and made me appreciate the peaceful life I’m given here in Estonia. For Jurgita, even though residing in Lithuania, the beginning of the war impacted her gravely and her poems from those days were like an open wound, painful and heart-wrenching. She read her poems in Lithuanian and we were provided an English translation on paper. When she read (and sang) her work, her mellow voice was loaded with fear and anguish. I could feel her pain and worries at that moment.

Lastly, Saulius ended the readings with a prose piece, “Now I Will Have a Quiet Lunch.” It spoke of his PhD journey, when he was overly stressed and anxious, wanting to take some time off from university. He relays his encounters with doctors and interesting cloakroom workers and arduous attempts to get a paper to get medical leave from his studies. His story was witty, entertaining, and relatable, reminding me of the difficult times I’ve faced during my own university journey. His prose piece finished off the evening on a light-hearted, hopeful tone.

The Evening of Lithuanian Literature in English was a delightful introduction to our Baltic neighbors’ contemporary work. You can buy the print edition of the Vilnius Review from Rüütel & Matilda or check out their website.

Author: Mia