Description

Milkweed Editions, paperback

Publication Date:October 12, 2021

Publisher Marketing:A bold, engaged new anthology spotlighting the work of contemporary Dutch poets influenced by international cultural exchange and linguistic invention.

What shape does Dutch art take in the American imagination? Austere, perhaps. Insular. Fixated on nature, every writers traditional source of consolation. And all of these qualities may indeed be true of the Netherlands early literature. But in this anthology, readers will encounter a radically different body of Dutch poeticsone defined by international cultural exchange, linguistic invention, and contemporary life.

Over three decades, the twenty poets featured here celebrate the colorful world that blossomed in the wake of Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan, and global Cold War conservatism. Poets, writes anthology editor Rob Schouten, took this moment to adopt a new view on reality, one filled with bewilderment and excitement. The rise of multiculturalism in the Netherlands, the influence of pop culture, and a cultural shift away from highly formal language led to the development of a public voice that mirrored the changes happening across an increasingly diverse Western Europe.

From Mustafa Stitous surreal ruminations on death and faith, to Elma van Harens energetic and evocative verse, to Hester Knibbes ruminative feminist ekphrases, each poet in this anthology brings something distinct to the page. This anthology is a celebration of artistic variety that English-speaking audiences will be delighted to attend. Nothings tied and all is loose, writes Ingmer Heytze, so we all should dance and know that [we] exist.