Cancelled: Poëzie lezen – Close reading: Esther Jansma

Reading Poetry is watching, listening, and feeling. In this interactive workshop, led by poet and poetry critic Peter Swanborn, we dive deep into the work of poet Esther Jansma, who passed away earlier this year. Her poetry—making time, loss, and memory tangible—invites us to read paying close attention. We will examine two or three poems in detail: line by line, word by word, image by image. What happens when we truly look closely? What meanings begin to reveal themselves? There will be plenty of room for questions and for sharing reading experiences. Each participant will receive a handout with the poems to be discussed.  

Come and discover, together, the layers of one of the most remarkable voices in Dutch poetry.  

Peter Swanborn

Peter Swanborn (b. 1963) is a poet, writer, and teacher known for his subtle and introspective poetry. Since his debut Bij het zien van zijn lichaam (2007), which was nominated for the C. Buddingh’ Prize, he has built a versatile body of work. His collections, such as Tot ook ik verwaai (2009) and Het wolkenreparatieatelier (2018), balance the personal with the universal. In 2022, his novel Onder het Luchtspoor was published. Swanborn’s poems have been translated and published in several languages. He teaches poetry, is a board member of the P.C. Hooft Prize Foundation, and has been a literary contributor to de Volkskrant since 1997.