nomination karel van de woestijne poetry prize

1 August 2020. Stranger things have happened. My sixth poetry book verdere bijzonderheden (further particulars, 2017) has been nominated for the triennial Karel van de Woestijne poetry prize (2017-2020), issued by Sint-Martens-Latem, East Flanders, Belgium. Below is the corresponding trailer devised at the kind request of Sint-Martens-Latem. I selected the poem ‘van roos to enig glaswerk’ and juxtaposed its reading with the performance of my music composition ‘zenit’ (2010) by the formalist quartet. Below is also the English translation of the poem by Vivien Glass. Happy reading and listening!

The audience can vote for the Karel van de Woestijne public choice award. I would be thrilled to have your vote! You can vote through this link (click on the NEXT/VOLGENDE button until you reach the voting page, then select the poet of your choice, type in your email address, and click on the SEND/VERSTUREN button). In case you vote, thank you so much – I really appreciate it! Please note: votes are accepted up until 31 August 2020.

from rose to some glassware

who drinks from you, flute glass, your colourless cup on a winged aquamarine stem
bent in a figure of eight, with wings on either side, like an angel, bird,
on a disc-shaped foot with a turned-up edge, pontil mark – rules between heaven
and earth, afterlife, words? who drinks beer from you like water,

cylindrical beaker – aquamarine through and through, with a punt base,
protruding rim – next to a breakfast of herring, bread? who sleeps it off
after your life – blown into a conical goblet on a ribbed stem,
winged and standing on a disc-shaped foot, toothless base

has briefly glowed orange-red? who drinks from you – cylindrical colourless glass,
with your ribbed rounded base – before an earthly or fiery return to dust?
who refrains from drinking – goblet, the slightly raised base on blackberry prunt feet,
your upper part and rim wrapped in aquamarine threads or voluptuously

pouting knobbly relief – to gaze at you? will your shards –
indifferent beaker, stem glass, cup, bowl with a cross or slanting ribs,
club-shaped beaker, Roemer of the cabbage stalk type – in the rain, rubbish
cesspool, underground well – golden-ager, always be translucent?