Veronika Kivisilla (née Savi; born 21 December 1978) is an Estonian poet and literary critic, possibly best known for her publications ''Kallis kalender'' (2011), ''Cantus Firmus'' (2015), ''Kuni armastus peale tuleb'' (2018), and ''Salutatio'' (2019).

Early life and education

Veronika Kivisilla was born Veronika Savi in

Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...

, where she attended primary and secondary schools. After graduating secondary school in 1997, she enrolled at

Tallinn University Tallinn University (TLU; , ''TLÜ'') is a public research university in Estonia. Located in the centre of Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia, Tallinn University is one of the three largest institutions of higher education in the country. Both QS ...

, majoring in Estonian language and literature, graduating in 2001. Afterwards, she worked as a schoolteacher in

Rocca al Mare Rocca al Mare (Italian for ''"Fortress-by-the-Sea"''; ) is a subdistrict () in the district of Haabersti, Tallinn, the capital of Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the no ...

and

Laagri Laagri is a small borough () in Harju County, northern Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic S ...

for several years.

Career

Kivisilla's first poems were published in ''

Looming ''Looming'' is a term found in the study of perception, as it relates directly to psychology. Looming occurs when an object begins moving closer to the eye. As the resulting image becomes increasingly larger on the perceiver's retina, i.e., when ...

'', Estonia's oldest literary magazine. Her first volume of poetry, ''Kallis kalender'' (''Dear Calendar'') was published in 2011. This was followed in 2012, by the publication of ''Veronica officinalis''. Kivisilla's poetry has been described as keen elaborations of everyday observations and meaningfulness of small and practical affairs that are close to compact prose. Kivisilla is also an active literary critic and has published essays on

Ellen Niit Ellen Niit (born Ellen Hiob; Ellen Niit since 1958) (13 July 1928 – 30 May 2016) was an Estonians, Estonian Children's author, children's writer, poet and translator. Over her lifetime, she penned more than forty books of both prose and poetry ...

and Kalju Kruusa, among others. She has also written textbooks. She has a special interest in Estonian music culture. In 2006, she was awarded a Literary Prize by the

Cultural Endowment of Estonia Cultural Endowment of Estonia (, abbreviated ''Kulka'' or ''KULKA''; also translated as ''Estonian Cultural Capital'') is an Estonian foundation which supports activities related to Estonian culture. The foundation was established in 1925 and re- ...

. She has been a member of the

Estonian Writers Union The Estonian Writers' Union (, abbr. EWU is a professional association of Estonian writers and literary critics.Marje Jõeste, Küllo Arjakas, ''The Baltic States'', Estonian Encyclopaedia Publishers, 1991, page 64 History The Estonian Writers ...

since 2012, and has acted as the organization's association's project manager, and has been is responsible for literary events and conferences.

Bibliography

Books of poetry

*''Kallis kalender (luuletusi 2009-2010)'' (2011) *''Veronica officinalis: kirjutatud Ärapääskülas, Valgesoos, elektrirongis ning nr 10 ja 18 bussis'' (2012) *''Cantus Firmus'' (2015) *''Salutatio!'' (2019) *''Kolm sõlme'' (2020, with Adam Cullen and Øyvind Rangøy)

Short prose

*''Kuni armastus peale tuleb'' (2018) *''Kuni armastus peale tuleb 2.0'' (2020)

Varia

*''Raeapteegi taimelood'' (2019)

References

1978 births Living people Estonian women poets 21st-century Estonian women writers Estonian literary critics Estonian women literary critics Tallinn University alumni Writers from Tallinn {{Estonia-writer-stub