Music a Nobel way for poet to accept prize

A Swedish poet who all but lost the power of speech after a stroke more than 20 years ago plans to accept the grandest prize in literature by way of a piano recital.

Tomas Transtroemer, 80, was announced the winner of the Nobel Prize in literature after the Swedish Academy praised him for "his condensed, translucent images" that gave "fresh access to reality".

The poet, who lost the use of his right arm after the stroke in 1990, is a keen pianist. Swedish musicians have adapted for him compositions designed to be played with one hand.

Neil Astley, the poet's friend and the founding editor of Bloodaxe, Transtroemer's British publisher, said the Swede often expressed himself through music and anticipated a performance at the Nobel ceremony.

"I imagine he'll be in a wheelchair and he will speak to people through the piano," he said.

Astley said Transtroemer's latest poetry collection had sold out within hours of the announcement. More than 300 orders were placed straightaway. The writer had previously sold only about 4000 copies of poetry collections in the past 25 years in Britain.

As Sweden's most famous poet, Transtroemer has often been named among the favourites for the 10 million kronor ($1.9 million) Nobel Prize. Swedish press have often camped outside his apartment in Stockholm, hours before the Nobel announcement, in anticipation of a domestic victory.

Peter Englund, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, said the academy had been wary of accusations of favouritism. "I think we've been quite thoughtful and haven't been rash ... he's writing about big questions. He's writing about death, he's writing about history and memory and nature."

Born in Stockholm in 1931, Transtroemer was raised alone by his mother, a teacher. He started writing poetry while studying and debuted with the collection Seventeen Poems at 23. As a psychologist, he divided his time between poetry and work in institutions for juvenile offenders, the disabled and drug addicts.

His love for nature and music has guided his writing and his poems have, over the decades, became darker, filled with existential questions, death and disease.

Since the 1950s, Transtroemer has had a close friendship with American poet Robert Bly, who translated many of his works into English.

Anna Tillgren, of the poet's publisher, Bonniers, said that despite his difficulty speaking, Transtroemer uttered two words after learning about his prize: "Very good."

- INDEPENDENT