Anu Kree

Anu Kree (born 14 February 1979) is a poet and prose writer.

Kree was born in Viljandi. She completed Viljandi County Gymnasium in 1997. Kree has studied at Tartu Art School and Estonian and Finno-Ugric philology at the University of Tartu. She has worked in the culture department of the Viljandi newspaper Sakala and been a freelance artist and writer. She has been a member of the Estonian Writers’ Union since 2023.

Anu Kree’s first poetry collections Põhjavalgeni (‘To the Northern Light’) and Kes me, õied, kukume (‘Who Are We Flowers That Fall’) were published in 1997 and 1998. The author designed, illustrated and published them herself. She is a member of the writers’ grouping Erakkond and participated as a co-author in Erakkond’s joint collection Harakkiri (1999).

Early in 2023, after a long pause in publishing, she issued a collection of new poems Vee pealt lendu (‘Into Flight from Water’). In August 2023, Kree published the poetry collection Kirjatähe kaitse all (‘Under the Protection of the Letter’). It was followed by the new collections Palangukõnd (‘Walking on Fire’, 2024), Valge metsa närv (‘Nerve of the White Forest’, 2024), Suidpidi [‘By the Mouths’, 2025], Iga armastus loeb [‘Every Love Counts’, 2025] and Veripunane hirv (‘Blood Red Deer’, 2026).

Late in 2024, she published her first prose collection of miniatures Elu nagides (‘Life on the Coathooks’). In 2025 she published a semi-autobiographical fragmentary novel Sees sumisev süda [‘The Heart Buzzing Inside’]. This was followed by the novels Varbadeta puur (‘The Cage Without Bars’ 2026) and Erhiides (2026). Kree’s prose is characterized by a poetic, creative language; they could be described as magic realism.

Kree is a writer with a distinct poetic language and imagery. Her poems are characterised by the presence of the feeling of love and readiness for new questions following each experience.

Her poetry has been published by the journal Looming.

L. P. (Translated by I. A.)

Books in Estonian

Poetry
Põhjavalgeni. Tartu: A. Kree, 1997. 61 lk.
Kes me, õied, kukume. Teile, kellega koos me üksi sündisime. Tartu: A. Kree, 1998. 87 lk.
Vee pealt lendu. Tallinn: EKSA, 2023. 215 lk.
Kirjatähe kaitse all. Tallinn: EKSA, 2023. 78 lk.
Palangukõnd. Tallinn: EKSA, 2024. 115 lk.
Valge metsa närv. Tallinn: Emakeele Sihtasutus, 2024. 80 lk.
Suidpidi. Ilmatsalu: Lugu ja lumm, 2025, 78 lk.
Iga armastus loeb. Tallinn: EKSA, 2025, 64 lk.
Veripunane hirv. Tallinn: EKSA, 2026, 68 lk.

Novels
Sees sumisev süda. Tuulest sasitud unenäopildistik. Menu Meedia, 2025, 144 lk.
Erhiides. Tallinn: Menu Meedia, 2026, 112 lk.
Varbadeta puur. Tallinn: Menu Meedia, 2026, 135 lk.

Short prose
Elu nagides. Harjumaa: Menu, 2024, 97 lk.
Kolme tiivaga klaver. Tallinn: Menu Meedia, 2025, 192 lk.