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‘Take and read’ Stefan Hertmans’ poetry in translation
Dutch Poetry Week begins with memories and a gift
January 26, 2016
In honor of Poetry Week, Poetry International has commissioned the English translation of Hertmans’ ‘poetry gift’, a collection of ten poems titled Take and read that explores various facets of memory. In addition to these translations – made by acclaimed translator and poet Donald Gardner – Poetry International’s Belgium editor Patrick Peeters, of the Vlams Fonds voor de Letteren (Flemish Fund for Literature), has updated Hertmans’ biography and bibliography on his poet page.
‘Take and read’ Hertmans’ poems here.
To learn more about Poëzieweek, and the many activities and programs schedule around it throughout Belgium and The Netherlands, check out its website. On Saturday, 30 January, 16:00, at De Waalse Kerk (Rotterdam), Poetry International will host a master class in poetry reading with Dutch Poet Laureate Anne Vegter and guest poet Ellen Deckwitz, alongside a reading featuring Hertmans and 2015 Poetry International Festival guest Tonnus Oosterhoff, with music by St. Solaire. Poëzieweek is co-organized annually by the Poetry International Foundation, Poëziecentrum (Ghent), Lezen Vlaanderen, Lezen Nederland, Poëzieclub, Wintertuin, Nederlands Letterenfonds, Vlaams Fonds voor de Letteren, Nederlandse Taalunie, Turing Foundation, VSB Fund, Boek.be and CPNB.
The 2016 Poëzieweek (Dutch-language Poetry Week), which begins 28 January with Gedichtendag (National Poetry Day), carries the motto Jaren die druppelend versmelten (Years that pass like drops and become one) and features ‘Memories’ as its overarching theme. This year’s Poëziegeschenk (Poetry Gift), a small publication that is given to every person that buys poetry books during Poetry Week, was written by Belgian poet Stefan Hertmans (Ghent, 1951) and is available to read here in English translation.
Stefan Hertmans is widely acknowledged as an important writer of prose, poetry and essays. He recently wrote the internationally bestselling novel Oorlog en terpentijn (‘War and Turpentine’), published by De Bezige Bij, which was awarded the AKO Literature Prize 2014 and De Gouden Uil, and was nominated for the Libris Literature Prize.In honor of Poetry Week, Poetry International has commissioned the English translation of Hertmans’ ‘poetry gift’, a collection of ten poems titled Take and read that explores various facets of memory. In addition to these translations – made by acclaimed translator and poet Donald Gardner – Poetry International’s Belgium editor Patrick Peeters, of the Vlams Fonds voor de Letteren (Flemish Fund for Literature), has updated Hertmans’ biography and bibliography on his poet page.
‘Take and read’ Hertmans’ poems here.
To learn more about Poëzieweek, and the many activities and programs schedule around it throughout Belgium and The Netherlands, check out its website. On Saturday, 30 January, 16:00, at De Waalse Kerk (Rotterdam), Poetry International will host a master class in poetry reading with Dutch Poet Laureate Anne Vegter and guest poet Ellen Deckwitz, alongside a reading featuring Hertmans and 2015 Poetry International Festival guest Tonnus Oosterhoff, with music by St. Solaire. Poëzieweek is co-organized annually by the Poetry International Foundation, Poëziecentrum (Ghent), Lezen Vlaanderen, Lezen Nederland, Poëzieclub, Wintertuin, Nederlands Letterenfonds, Vlaams Fonds voor de Letteren, Nederlandse Taalunie, Turing Foundation, VSB Fund, Boek.be and CPNB.
© Lodewijk Verduin
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