Contra

Contra (born Margus Konnula in 1974) is one of Estonia’s most prolific contemporary poets. Since his debut in 1995, he has published at least one poetry collection each year.

Contra’s writing is strongly rooted in Estonia’s contemporary fol-singing tradition, with gleeful and witty texts that blend dense, playful rhymes with topical issues. Contra’s poetry stands out for the frequent use of his native Võru dialect, and he is a popular guest on television, at public events, and in schools.

Contra is a laureate of the Oskar Luts Prize for Humor and the Bernard Kangro Award for Literature; in 2015 he was awarded the Estonian Cultural Endowment’s Award for Children and Youth Literature.