Dichter fan Fryslân
Poet of Fryslân
Dichter van Fryslân
(A poem based on book titles)
God, if You are there –
Let every blossom laugh out loud –
I’m still alive
I’m travelling alone –
Manic-depressive
Beyond reach
Words without a harbour
Sleeping in a foreign language
Tell me who I am –
The man who has to run
(Salút au monde!)
The child that blows across the water
(A day as white as milk)
The one heron to take flight
(Why is the sky black?)
I want to live –
On rolling ground
On the wings of thought
I’m travelling alone –
At night the world disappears
Word by word by word
I’m still alive –
The chicken that flew over the soup
In the devil’s garden
Translated by David Colmer
The Poet of Fryslân writes six to ten poems a year, and knows how to reach and tie to an audience with his poetry. The poems are highly preferred in the Frisian language or in a Frisian regional language.
The Poet of Fryslân acts as a poetic ambassador and takes care of Fryslân’s poetic representation in a modern and inviting manner. Inside and outside the province. Preferably inspired by actual events or special moments that occur in our province. The Poet of Fryslân knows, in a contemporary and accessible way, how to present current and social themes in poetry.
The Poet of Fryslân is expected to perform a number of times a year on yet to be determined occasions.
Arjan Hut (Drachten, 1976) grew up in Surhuisterveen and published his first poetry book ‘Nachtswimmers’ in 2004. He was previously poet laureate of Leeuwarden and was appointed Wâld poet of the municipality of Achtkarspelen in 2019 for two years. Hut is editor of ‘de Moanne’, teaches poetry at the Skriuwersfakskoalle and the Schrijversvakschool and produces a podcast called ‘Net Ferkeard’ in collaboration with Gabriëlle Terpstra. He would like to know exactly what happened to JFK, loves books, films, samba jazz and hard rock. He is married, has two children and a cat. His most recent, sixth poetry book, was published in 2023, called: ‘Ien tel de ierde stil’.