Poetry: “What Frays and Blossoms” by Hélène Gelèns

Hélène Gelèns is a writer of poetry, essays, and short prose. Her debut niet beginnen bij het hoofd (2006) was shortlisted for the C. Buddingh’ Prize for New Dutch Poetry and her second collection of poetry zet af en zweef (2010) was awarded the prestigious Jan Campert Prize. A third collection will be published this fall. Gelèns’s poetry has been translated in five languages.

Gelèns shared with Sampsonia Way a previously unpublished poem in English: “What Frays and Blossoms” from the book zet af en zweef (Take off and Float) published by Uitgeverij Cossee. The poem was translated by Willem Groenewegen. The original poem in Dutch is available on page 2.

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