"If the Polish Were Here" is an anthology written by the Swedish poet Vanner Aspenström and translated by the poet and novelist Kameran Harsan. Vanner Aspenström (1918-1997) holds a prominent place in the realm of Swedish poetry. He, alongside celebrated poets such as Erik Lindgren, Carl Lindbury, and Stig Dagerman, constituted a luminous poetic tradition. His works hark back to the conventional style of the 1940s, yet they deviate from the norm by presenting a somber vision of the world and the actions committed by humanity against itself. Aspenström often weaves his dreams into his prose and poetry, eschewing rigid literary conventions. For him, words and imagery meld seamlessly, creating a magnificent artistic tapestry.

This book comprises selected texts from Aspenström's various poetry collections and includes poetic passages from his prose works, such as “Motsägelser” [Contradictions] and “Det röda molnet” [The Red Cloud,] published in 1986. In these writings, the author continues to draw from his dreams, merging words and images in a captivating artistic tableau. Aspenström is a realist poet whose inspiration stems from his personal experiences, the events surrounding him, and his dreams. His poems encompass the present, the past, and the space in between, invoking themes like his mother, father, and devoted wife, who carries fresh bread for him in her hands, as depicted in "Infinity and Bread" from “Israpport” [Icy Report.]