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Johanna Telander’s artistic roots span continents and genres. Born in Finland and now based in New York, she has long woven her Nordic heritage into her art. Before turning to the page, Telander made her mark as a singer-songwriter and composer, most notably as the creator of Kalevala: The Musical, an original musical inspired by Finland’s national epic. This background as a multidisciplinary artist infuses her poetry with lyrical depth and cinematic imagery. Internationally recognized in theatre and music circles, Telander brings the same creative fire to her writing. Her style blends folkloric Nordic undertones with modern insight, making her voice uniquely her own in today’s literary landscape.
Despite her successes on stage and screen, poetry has become a cherished outlet for Telander. “Aside from music projects, I’m also a published poet!” she proclaims with the enthusiasm of someone who has found yet another mode of creative expression. In her poems, one can sense the composer and storyteller at work—crafting rhythm and narrative, but in a quieter, more introspective key.
Softness as Strength: The New Collection’s Heart
Telander’s newly released volume, The Resilient Flutter of Butterflies, is a poetic embrace of softness as strength. The collection traces what she calls the “quiet courage it takes to remain open-hearted in a world that seems to reward armor”. In these pages, vulnerability is not a weakness but a brave choice. With poetic precision and intimate honesty, Telander celebrates those who “stay kind through adversity” as small rebellions against a hard-hearted world. Each poem flutters by as a gentle reminder that kindness and curiosity can thrive even amidst broken things, and that there is power in tenderness.
At the heart of the book are themes of vulnerability, kindness, courage, healing, and creative renewal—the very qualities Telander believes can transform lives. As Telander put it in her release announcement, this collection is “a celebration of vulnerability, of finding courage in kindness, and the healing that comes from creative renewal.” In poem after poem, wounds find words and then find wings. There is a prevailing sense that pain can be metamorphosed into something beautiful—much like a caterpillar’s metamorphosis into a butterfly. The titular butterfly becomes a metaphor for rebirth without bitterness, for fragile creatures that survive and soar. Telander’s gentle lines encourage readers to shed their protective armor and trust in the “enduring light” found in community and openness. In a tumultuous era, The Resilient Flutter of Butterflies offers an antidote of empathy and hope.
An Award-Winning Flight
Even before it landed in readers’ hands, The Resilient Flutter of Butterflies earned a special recognition. The collection was honored with BookLeaf Publishing’s 21st Century Emily Dickinson Award, a tribute to outstanding contemporary poets. This accolade — named for the famed American poet — speaks to the timeless quality of Telander’s work. Like Dickinson’s verses, Telander’s poems find profundity in quiet moments and strength in vulnerability. Winning the award has been a humbling highlight for the poet, who describes the book as a “labor of love” she is beyond grateful to share with the world.
Notably, BookLeaf Publishing has been Telander’s champion from the start. The independent publisher, which encourages new voices through innovative writing challenges, also published her debut collection and supported her growth as an author. Telander gave a “special thank you” to her partners at BookLeaf for believing in her vision a second time around. In an industry where debut success can be hard to follow, this vote of confidence — coupled with the Emily Dickinson Award — affirmed that Telander’s fluttering journey was on a meaningful path.
Building on A Deep Blue Green Song
Telander’s first poetry collection, A Deep Blue Green Song (2023), set the stage for the creative blossoming we see in her new work. That debut was a compilation of earth-themed poems, rich with evocative imagery of nature’s blues and greens. Critics and readers praised A Deep Blue Green Song for its evocative imagery and poetic clarity, noting how it introduced Telander’s literary voice beyond the realm of music. It was, in many ways, an intimate conversation with the natural world — the “deep blue green” elements that ground and nurture us.
With The Resilient Flutter of Butterflies, Telander builds upon that foundation and soars even higher. The new volume retains the lush natural symbolism that characterized her debut (this time with delicate wings and wildflowers peeking through its pages) but delves further inward. It continues Telander’s introspective journey toward healing and transformation, this time with an even greater emphasis on emotional courage. If A Deep Blue Green Song was about finding one’s voice in the wilderness, Resilient Flutter is about finding one’s strength in vulnerability. Together, the two books chronicle a personal evolution: from the roots of earth to the freedom of sky, from grounding oneself to finally taking flight.
The reception of Telander’s debut gave her confidence to be bolder in the second book. A Deep Blue Green Song was often described as heartfelt and hopeful; it resonated with readers who appreciated its sincerity. Telander has taken that praise to heart. In Resilient Flutter, she allows herself to be even more open and daringly sincere. The result is a collection that feels at once a continuation and a transformation — much like a butterfly emerging anew after the still cocoon of its earlier stage.
Gratitude and Creative Renewal
Perhaps what shines most in Johanna Telander’s journey is her attitude of gratitude and her connection to the world around her. When announcing The Resilient Flutter of Butterflies on social media, Telander’s joy was palpable. “It’s here!!!” she wrote, the excitement leaping off the screen. She thanked her family, friends, and the creative community for uplifting her on the path to this book’s birth. In fact, Telander revealed that “the journey this time around has been transformational, deeply personal, and cathartic” for her — a testament to how much of her heart she poured into these poems. Writing the collection became an act of healing in itself. Through every line, one senses her gratitude for the process of creation, which allowed her to find light in dark times and to share that light with others.
Telander’s life outside the written word also feeds her poetry. She often finds inspiration in nature and family, treasuring moments spent trekking across lush forests with her husband and children (sometimes in real life, sometimes in her vivid imagination). In those green cathedrals of the outdoors, she gathers impressions and metaphors like wildflowers, later pressing them into poems. “For all that I’m fragile, my imagination runs wild — and at least I’ve got wings to keep you mesmerized,” Telander muses in one of her verses, capturing the playful spirit that balances her vulnerability. Indeed, her family adventures and love of the natural world imbue her writing with an earthy, nurturing warmth.
Beyond her personal creative work, Telander is deeply committed to creative renewal — both for herself and for others. She is a yoga enthusiast and a creative coach, guiding fellow artists to reconnect with their imaginations and wellspring of ideas. This aspect of her life reflects the same philosophy found in her poetry: that creative expression can be profoundly healing. Telander believes in art as a form of self-care and liberation, a way to rejuvenate the soul. Through workshops or one-on-one mentoring, she encourages people to embrace their own “flutter of butterflies” — those delicate yet powerful sparks of inspiration waiting to take flight. It’s an extension of her generous spirit: as she heals and grows, she reaches out to help others do the same.
Spreading Wings of Hope
In The Northern Voices, we often celebrate artists who use their voice to uplift, and Johanna Telander exemplifies that ethos. Her journey from composing music to composing poetry shows a fearless embrace of new creative wings. With The Resilient Flutter of Butterflies, Telander has delivered an uplifting testament to the idea that growth and gentleness can coexist. Her poems remind us that there is bravery in staying soft and that hope can flutter back even after life’s storms.
As Telander’s newest collection takes flight, she stands as a beacon of creative courage in the 21st century. The Resilient Flutter of Butterflies (BookLeaf Publishing) is available now worldwide – readers can find it through major booksellers like Barnes & Noble and Amazon. It’s a gift from an author who has poured her heart onto the page. In these verses, Telander extends a gentle invitation: to remain open-hearted, to find courage in kindness, and to discover healing through creativity. And as one closes the book, one can almost feel the flutter of wings – a promise that renewal and hope are on the horizon, carried on the resilient breeze of poetry.
