“Now can I fly!” Michael Strunge’s last words echo here at Assistens Kirkegård. This is where the poet rests. Michael Strunge was a voice of a generation.
Michael Strunge was born in 1958. He died tragically in 1986. His short life burned bright. He left an indelible mark on Danish literature.
Strunge is considered one of Denmark’s most influential modern poets. He grew up in a Copenhagen suburb. Punk and David Bowie heavily influenced him. He became a figurehead for Denmark’s punk movement. Maybe against his will.
His first poetry collection appeared in 1978. It was titled “Speed of Life”. Strunge published ten more collections. Then he died by suicide. He was just 27 years old.
Strunge broke with the banality of the previous decade’s writing. He drew inspiration from Rimbaud. His writing was raw and energetic. His aesthetic was punk and new wave. Disaffected youth across Denmark loved him. He became a cult figure.
He debuted in the literary journal Hvedekorn in 1978. Poul Borum, the editor, invited him to his writing school. Strunge formed important friendships there. F.P. Jac and Søren Ulrik Thomsen were among them.
Michael Strunge’s life was turbulent. He struggled with mental health issues. He was diagnosed with manic depression. Strunge was open about his illness. Many poems draw inspiration from psychiatric stays. His work explores light and darkness. It examines life and death. These were the extremes of human existence for him.
Strunge disliked “use poetry”. He fought against the prose poems of the 1970s. He rejected confessional literature. His generation wanted a break from it. He scorned bestselling poets. Kristen Bjørnkjær and Lola Baidel did not impress him. He thought their poems were just “living room talk.”
In 1980, Strunge helped organize NÅ!!80. It was a generational event. It took place in Huset in Copenhagen. More than 150 young artists participated. Bands and lyricists performed over the weekend.
Strunge’s work ethic was strong. He produced eleven poetry collections in eight years. From age 19 until his death at 27. He also wrote short stories. He actively participated in literary debate. His discussions with contemporary writers were famous. Especially in the TV program “Bazar.”
He criticized Lola Baidel’s navel-gazing poetry. Strunge promoted poetry with vision. He wanted artistic expression. It had to mirror the poem’s message. He also worked as a literary critic at Politiken. He edited the journal Sidegaden. It became a forum for avant-garde art. It showcased underground literature, music, and photography. It provided a voice for young people. They wanted new forms of expression.
Witnesses said Strunge was manic before his death. He was in treatment for it. He was on leave from Rigshospitalet. He told his girlfriend, Cecilie Brask, “Now I can fly!” Then he jumped from the fifth floor.
Michael Strunge’s death marked the end of “punk culture.” His words continue to resonate. They echo through the streets of Copenhagen. They linger here at Assistens Kirkegård. They speak of a life lived intensely. A talent cut short. A voice forever young.