Photo Shutterstock The action is intended as the local run-up to national Poetry Week. The poets phone you between seven and eight in the evening in the week of 17-21 January, and read out a poem.
Master’s student and poet Leontien Jansen came up with the idea. She was inspired by the national Poet on the Phone project two years ago. Jansen came up with a local version, which took place on a small scale last year. This year, she will be joined by 14 fellow Wageningen poets.
Surprise
The format is simple, explains Wageningen poet Laurens van der Zee. You book a poet for a particular evening and then you get a phone call. ‘But you don’t know in advance who you will get. That is a surprise. The poet introduces themselves and starts a conversation. They can suggest something but you can also ask for something specific. That can lead to really good conversations.’
Drawing on his experiences last year, Van der Zee gives examples: ‘Someone may want something amusing, or a poem about love. Or they may like birds and ask whether you have a poem about birds. So you need to have your whole repertoire to hand. I personally read out a lot of poems from the Ministry for Obsolete Affairs. People loved them.’
Enjoyment
The poems are free. The participating poets earn ‘a few euros’ thanks to some small grants. It is mainly about the enjoyment and publicizing their work. The poets don’t necessarily all work every evening. That depends on the clients, says Van der Zee. ‘We bring in more people if there is more demand. But everyone who requests a poem gets a call.’
Everyone who requests a poem gets a call
Laurens van der Zee, poet
The poets include three WUR poets in addition to the initiator Leontien Jansen. One is of course student and official city poet Ellen van der Kolk. Animal scientist Simon Oosting and library employee Percy Cicilia are also taking part. Oosting writes poetry in Frisian but provides a Dutch translation if wished.
In English
Percy Cicilia pens poems in three languages: English, Dutch and Papiamentu. ‘So international clients are also welcome,’ says Van der Zee. ‘They just need to say when they book that they want a poem in English.’ To book, go to the public library website.
