Uuno Kailas

Uuno Kailas (1901-1933)

Uuno Kailas, born Frans Uno Salonen (29 March 1901 – 22 March 1933) was a Finnish poet, author, and translator.

Quotes

• There are lots of words -

the words are alive

and I can see them.

Some are ugly and others are beautiful.

Mother is a very sweet word - the best word.

It tastes very much like a little kiss.

Father is a nice word too,

but sometimes thunder gathers in it

and then you'd better sneak behind the door to hide.

• Uuno Kailas, Tove Skutnabb-Kangas (trans) "The words," (original title "Runoja," 1932); in: Tove Skutnabb-Kangas. Bilingualism Or Not: The Education of Minorities. 1981, p. 43

• The border cracks open facing Asia and the East.

With the West and Europe behind me,

I, the guard, protect it.

• Uuno Kailas, cited in: Mikael af Malmborg, ‎Bo Stråth (2002), The Meaning of Europe, p. 157