Welcome to Dutch poetry - December 2004

18 januari 2006 Literary tradition in the language really began with the Renaissance poet Gysbert Japiks (1603-1666), but it was not until the Romantic period of the nineteenth century that Frisian literature began to flourish. From these days onwards poetic tradition in Frisian became firmly established, forming a small but steady flow among the major streams of poetry in the western world. In the twentieth century Frisian classics like Obe Postma (1868-1963), Fedde Schurer (1898-1968) and Douwe Tamminga (1909) emerged, clearing the way for modern poets such as Jan Wybenga (1917-1994), Tiny Mulder (1921) and later on Piter Boersma (1947) and {id="4039" title="Tsjêbbe Hettinga"} (1949).

Hettinga is one of the poets featured in this new December issue, along with two representatives of the youngest generation of lyrical Frisians: {id="3996" title="Albertina Soepboer"} (1969) and {id="4038" title="Tsead Bruinja"} (1974). Although their tone, style and intentions differ notably, the word ‘lyrical’ may be considered a keyword to the works of all three of these poets. Another similarity lies in their conscious approach of their cultural and literary background, which doesn’t result in anything close to traditionalism or epigonism, but in stead leads to very distinct, original verses, sometimes touching the exalted, sometimes verging on the absurd.

We hope you’ll enjoy our Frisian issue, and if so, you might also like to visit the website of the anthology Dream yn blauwe reinjas/ Droom in een blauwe regenjas (Dream in a blue raincoat), which was published in October 2004 and contains the works of over twenty young Frisian poets, including Soepboer and Bruinja. More general information on Frisian authors, history and literature can be found on the website of the Frisian Historical and Literary Centre (although this website has an English section, some information may only appear in Frisian or Dutch).