JOHNSON, Bengt Emil

His Hyllningarna (Greetings, 1963) is said to be the first book of Concrete Poetry in Sweden, containing a Homage to John Cage (1962) that, as miscellaneous words typed to the edge of the page, reflects an accurate understanding of Cagean esthetics rare at the time. While Johnson's later poetry has moved closer to traditional lyricism that draws upon his respect for nature in rural Sweden, his music, initially composed of words for audiotape, has assumed a more radical edge...