Rolf Aggestam

{{Short description|Swedish writer (1941–2020)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Rolf Aggestam

|image=Rolf Aggestam.png

| birth_place = Stockholm, Sweden

| birth_date = {{birth date|1941|12|21|df=y}}

| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|12|27|1941|12|21|df=y}}

| alma_mater = University of Lund

| occupation = Poet, writer and translator

| yearsactive = 1973–2020

}}

Rolf Aggestam (21 December 1941 – 27 December 2020) was a Swedish poet, writer and translator.{{cite web|title=Aggestam, Rolf - Alex|url=https://www.alex.se/lexicon/article/aggestam-rolf|work=Alex|accessdate=2017-07-28|language=sv-SE}} Aggestam was born in Stockholm.[https://www.wwd.se/forfattare/9859/rolf-aggestam/ Rolf Aggestam – Wahlström & Widstrand]. His first poetry collection was published in 1973, Ditt hjärta är ett rött tåg. He made his debut as a prose writer in 1994.[https://www.ne.se/uppslagsverk/encyklopedi/lång/rolf-aggestam Rolf Aggestam – NE Nationalencyklopedin]. He drew his inspiration from Dylan Thomas and Walt Whitman. Aggestam translated the works of the latter.

Rolf Aggestam grew up in Nockeby in Bromma, but eventually moved to Näsåker in Ångermanland in the 1980s.[https://www.dn.se/familj/till-minne-rolf-aggestam/ Till minne: Rolf Aggestam – Dagens Nyheter (DN)]. He spend the summers at Viken, in the vicinity of Höganäs. His friends nicknamed him Roffe.

Aggestam studied at the University of Lund in the 1960s, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, and then worked as a journalist in Malmö. He was an editor of the magazine Lyrikvännen in the years 1973–1977, and also an editor of the literary calendar Halifax with Katarina Frostenson from 1987 to 1996. Aggestam received several prizes for his poetry, among others: Sveriges Radios lyrikpris, Eyvind Johnson-priset and Gerard Bonniers lyrikpris.

During his lifetime, Aggestam was known first and foremost as a poet and translated poems by, among others, Matsuo Bashō and Walt Whitman, published respectively in 1974 and 1983.

The last poetry collection of Aggestam, Mitt i det veka livet, was published posthumously in 2021.

Rolf Aggestam was married to Annelie Fridell-Aggestam, she is also a writer.[https://www.svt.se/kultur/poeten-och-forfattaren-rolf-aggestam-har-gatt-bort Poeten och författaren Rolf Aggestam har gått bort – SVT Nyheter]. Together, they have three daughters.