Mutt says Viiding foresaw his tragic death 20 years ahead

Writer Mihkel Mutt told ERR’s Ringvaade that poet Juhan Viiding had foreseen his tragic end nearly 20 years in advance, describing it not as a sorrowful flight but as a triumphant desire to become part of the universe.

Mutt discussed his book “Juhani evangeelium”, which he wrote after becoming interested in Viiding not only as a brilliant artist but also as an exceptionally fascinating person.

“A nation must carve its important people into books, and Estonians have done this relatively little,” Mutt said. He added that Viiding’s artistic genius was almost secondary to his interest in Viiding as a person.

Mutt described Viiding as an “alien” unlike anyone else he had encountered. As a young boy, Viiding spoke and wrote like an adult, while as an adult he retained a childlike quality. According to Mutt, Viiding had no protective layer against life and constantly asked where he was, who he was and why he existed.

“Juhan himself also wanted all the time to become a human being,” Mutt said. “He wanted to, he tried, in the end he could not, gave up and left life.”

Mutt said he had known Viiding well but had not belonged to the poet’s inner circle of friends. He described Viiding as small, tough and transparent, almost like a glass man, yet said that whenever he entered a room, he filled it with his presence.

“Juhan’s life and art are actually one,” Mutt said. “He wrote his life in poetry and lived his poetry, although this cannot be taken literally.” Mutt said Viiding’s poems expressed his thoughts about life as a whole and its meaning, including whether to exist at all.

Mutt said Viiding’s published work includes 300 poems. He also wrote poems spontaneously for friends and on scraps of paper. According to Mutt, the ease with which Viiding created poetry was unique in Estonian literature.

Mutt said he used the word “gospel” in the book’s title because it means good news. Although Viiding’s life ended tragically, Mutt said it could be seen as good news because it evokes catharsis and beautiful, pure feelings.

According to Mutt, Viiding wrote in his earliest poetry collections about wanting to fly into a bonfire like a moth and disappear. Mutt said Viiding had written almost exactly about what would happen, including the season, with one poem referring to blood flowing onto snow. He said the year could also be read from the poetry with near precision.

Viiding decided to leave life voluntarily in 1995, according to the report.