- the low countries

Why not read a novel by a Dutch or Flemish author this spring? Take a look at our selection.

Our summer selection of Dutch-language poetry that has recently been translated into English.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Alara Adilow, a poet of Somali heritage from Amsterdam. We translated her poem ‘Het café’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Amina Belȏrf. We translated her poem ‘De nachtklok’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Anke Senden. We translated her poem ‘here’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Ann Bellemans. We translated her poem ‘Krater’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Anne van Winkelhof. We translated her poem ‘Growl’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Bart Van der Straeten. We translated his poem ‘Truth’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Benjamin De Roover. We translated his poem ‘syntax is older than civic architecture’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Bert Van Raemdonck. We translated his poem ‘Water Damage & The Child’s Flippers’.

The Dutch critics unanimously proclaimed her poetry debut a masterpiece.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Bob Vanden Broeck. We translated his poem ‘Debris Making – vi.’

This week's Friday Verses are written by Carmien Michels. We translated her poem ‘Pink Skirts’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Christopher Levenson. We selected his poem ‘Remembering the Flood’.

Nine youngsters from the Low Countries created poetic films based on their favourite Dutch-language poem.

This week's Friday Verses are written by the former city poet of Ghent, David Troch. We translated his poem ‘this land’.

Her verses can be read on buses, trams and underground trains in Brussels.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Dominique De Groen. We translated her poem ‘Dreaming of the Sacrificial Lamb - Dream #1’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Eelkje Christine Bosch. We translated her poem ‘innocence of things’.

Every day of the 2020 Poetry Week we present a Dutch children's poem in English translation. Today: 0.00/2000 by Elma van Haren.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Els Moors, who was appointed National Poet of Belgium from 2018 until 2020. We translated her poem ‘everything’s sold or given away’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Erwin Mortier. We translated his poem 'Letter Twenty-Eight' from the volume 'Uit één vinger valt men niet' (De Bezige Bij, 2005).

This week's Friday Verses are written by Ester Naomi Perquin. We translated 'The Last Unknown Person' from the volume 'Namens de ander' (Van Oorschot, 2009).

This week's Friday Verses are written by Esther Jansma. We translated her poem ‘Invasion’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by the renowned Dutch poet Eva Gerlach. We translated a poem from the 'Virus' series.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Femke Vindevogel. We translated her poem ‘Vechtscheiding’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Fien Leysen. We translated her poem ‘Onder lakens’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Filip Rogiers. We translated his poem ‘On the Fundamentalism of Every Revelation’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Florence Tonk. We translated her poem ‘An Ocean of its Own’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Hagar Peeters. We translated her poem 'Shall I Walk with You Some of the Way?' from the volume of selected poems 'City of Sandcastles' (Shoestring Press, 2018).

This week's Friday Verses are written by Hannah van Wieringen. We translated her poem ‘cry me a river’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Hans Depelchin. We translated his poem ‘wind egg’.

Every day of the 2020 Poetry Week we present a Dutch children's poem in English translation. Today: Brussels-North by Hans Dorrestijn.

This week's Friday Verses are written by the experienced Flemish poet Herman Leenders. We translated his poem ‘Spoorvorming’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Iduna Paalman. We translated her poem ‘Keep Sterile, Do Not Prick’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Ingmar Heytze. We translated his poem 'For the Beloved Stranger' from the volume 'Het ging over rozen' (Podium, 2002).

This week's Friday Verses are written by Jan Geerts. We translated his poem ‘Laatste brieven’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Johan Marc Baeten. We translated his poem ‘Graffiti’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Jonas Bruyneel. We translated his poem ‘Glass Borders’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Kevin Amse. We translated his poem ‘I Need Help’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Kristien Spooren. We translated her poem ‘Gingerbread’.

Every day of the 2020 Poetry Week we present a Dutch children's poem in English translation. Today: Dream by Lidy Peters.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Lieke Marsman. We translated her poem 'Big Bang' from her debut 'Wat ik mijzelf graag voorhoud' (Van Oorschot, 2010).

This week's Friday Verses are written by the acclaimed Flemish writer Lize Spit. We translated her poem ‘Heel ons houden’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Maarten Buser. We translated his poem ‘Outline’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Mahlu Mertens. We translated her poem ‘Censorship’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Marc Tritsmans. We translated his poem ‘In Amerika’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by International Booker Prize winner Marieke Lucas Rijneveld. Michele Hutchison translated his poem ‘Plukhoogte'.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Mattijs Deraedt. We translated his poem 'Brussels'.

This week's Friday Verses are written by the Antwerp poet, theater writer and spoken word performer, Max Greyson. We translated his poem ‘Relativity’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Meliza de Vries. We translated her poem ‘Grown-Up’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Miriam Van hee. We translated her poem ‘destination’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Moya De Feyter. We translated her poem 'On Closer Inspection'.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Mustafa Stitou. We translated his poem 'Palpitations' from the volume 'Mijn gedichten' (Vassallucci, 1998).

This week's Friday Verses are written by Myrte Leffring. We translated her poem 'Zo'n dag'.

Obe Alkema gives the floor to a festoon of fruits and flowers: ‘We’re fruit, flora, authentic. We want to be seen the way Yotam Ottolenghi sees us.’

The last Friday Verses of 2019 are written by Paul Demets. We translated his poem ‘Unstirring Leaves’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Peter Theunynck. We translated his poem ‘The Theatre of Love’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Philip Hoorne. We translated his poem ‘And Then There’s Cake’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Pieter Claeys. We translated his poem ‘Eclips’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Pieter Olde Rikkert. We translated his poem ‘Two Girls’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Pim Cornelussen. We translated his poem ‘Someone Sighs’.

As Poet Laureate of Belgium, Kör wants everyone to feel the power of poetry, especially those who don't naturally come into contact with it.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Rand Helawi. We translated her poem ‘Empty Room’.

The website www.straatpoezie.nl shows exactly where poetry is visible in public space in the Low Countries.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Rob van Essen. We translated his poem ‘Velden’.

In his latest poetry collection 'Hopper on the hill', Roel Richelieu Van Londersele is inspired by the paintings of Edward Hopper.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Roger de Neef. We translated his poem ‘Het hier’.

Every day of the 2020 Poetry Week we present a Dutch children's poem in English translation. Today: Gifts by Rudy Kousbroek.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Sabine Kars. We translated her poem ‘Waarom zo koud’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Sara Eelen. We translated her poem ‘Genesis’.

Thanks to a new anthology, English-speaking readers can become acquainted with one of the Netherlands' most original and thought-provoking poets.

On 10 April 2020, the Dutch poet Hans Verhagen passed away at the age of 81 in his hometown Amsterdam.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Gerrit van de Linde aka the Schoolmaster. We selected his poem ‘The Ape’.

A jury of experts has selected ten young video makers from Flanders and the Netherlands for 'Bewogen Verzen' (Moving Verses), the video poetry project of Ons Erfdeel vzw and Poëziecentrum.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Tijl Nuyts. We translated his poem ‘Musti’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Tjitske Jansen. We translated her poem 'The Snow Queen' from her debut 'Het moest maar eens gaan sneeuwen' (Podium, 2003).

Every day of the 2020 Poetry Week we present a Dutch children's poem in English translation. Today: An Apple by Toon Tellegen.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Tsead Bruinja, the new Poet Laureate of the Netherlands. We translated his poem 'Burning House' from the volume 'De geboorte van het zwarte paard' (Cossee, 2008).

This week's Friday Verses are written by Ulrike Burki. We translated her poem ‘Berlin’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Vicky Francken. We translated her poem ‘A Good Excuse’.

Tess Steijvers made a poetic film after the poem 'A Girl' by Toon Tellegen.

Bob van den Berg made a poetic film after the poem ‘Global Underground' by Annemarie Estor.

Younes Laaguidi made a poetic film after the poem ‘Houston we have a problem’ by Lotte Dodion.

Justine Cappelle made a poetic film after the poem 'I Love Icarus' by Tjitske Jansen.

Suzanna van Oers made a poetic film after the poem ‘Life on Mars’ by Peter Verhelst.

Ester Bosschaert Devroe made a poetic film after the poem ‘Perseverance’ by Lieke Marsman.

The work of the Flemish priest and poet Guido Gezelle has repeatedly been linked with both British and American literature and culture. And not without reason.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Willem Thies. We translated his poem ‘Sneeuw zal vallen’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Dutch poet Willemijn van den Geest. We translated her poem ‘Raak mij niet aan’.

This week's Friday Verses are written by Yannick Dangre. We translated his poem ‘Dante I’.

This Easter weekend our video poetry project 'Bewogen Verzen' kicked off with an inspiration session in Amsterdam.

Important to know