Michael Strunge

Writer

1958

1986

Michael Strunge (1958–1986) was a fiery voice in Danish poetry, capturing the restless energy of a generation and the pulse of urban life in the 1980s. From Livets Hastighed (1978) and Fremtidsminder (1980) to Popsange (1983) and Væbnet med Vinger (1984), he explored identity, love, mortality, and alienation with intensity and raw power. Through fragmented lines, striking imagery, and uncompromising form, he made language vivid, often on the edge of rebellion and ecstasy. Strunge’s poetry, charged with urban nerve and existential inquiry, was cemented by his untimely death, securing his place as an unforgettable cult figure in Danish literature. His voice continues to resonate in collections such as Samlede Strunge 1978–1985 (1995) and Min krop er tung af drøm (2018).

Bent Sørensen

Popsange

In Bent Sørensen’s Pop Songs (1990), Michael Strunge’s poetry is woven into music for tenor and piano, at once delicate, dramatic and tinged with romantic colour.