Dainius Vaitiekūnas (Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania)
Semiotician Algirdas Julius Greimas defined aesthesis as an intense experience of beauty, a break in everyday life. The paper presents the experiences of the more original aesthetics associated with Vilnius in contemporary Lithuanian poetry that are inseparable from unexpected sightings of Vilnius, a break from stereotypical interpretations of the city. The original poetic interpretations of the beauty of Vilnius oppose the touristic and promotional images of the city intended for mass consumption. Even though contemporary poetry suggests looking for a more individual relationship with Vilnius, the city itself has been associated with an extremely influential and rich tradition of narratives. Therefore, it is not an easy task to establish a more original relationship with the city.