New poetry collection about losing a loved one to dementia

The poetry collection Oyðilendi (en. waste land) is about being close to a person who is slowly deteriorating and disappears. The poems were written in an attempt to work through the emotions and thoughts that arise when a close relative, far too young, suffers from incurable dementia.

Oyðilendi is the literary debut of psychologist Svanna Jákupsdóttir. She says that writing poetry has given her a new and different way to express her thoughts and feelings. Working with metaphors and figurative language gave her a new perspective on life.

Oyðilendi was published by Sprotin in 2022.