He has written poetry in English from a very young age, and has published a few texts in small poetry publications. He also writes in Finnish, and is an active member of a collective called Helsinki Poetry Connection, which holds regular poetry readings and open mic nights in Helsinki and elsewhere. The collective's poetics embraces all forms of creative expression, from spoken word and rap to recited poetry and even sound- and video poetry. Salonen is also active in another association for the vitalization and support of modern poetry, called Nihil Interit.