Leonard Nolens
(Belgium, 1947)
Leonard Nolens is a monumental figure in Flemish poetry. He made his debut in 1969 with baroque poems. In the mid-Eighties his work became much more sober. His spellbinding style made way for a spoken-language tone, but by no means steered clear of profound thought. The collection of poetry De gedroomde figuur (The Dreamt Figure, 1986), was a major breakthrough and ringed in a period full of award-winners. His most important work Liefdes verklaringen (Declarations of Love, 1990) was awarded the Jan Campert-prize and the Flemish Culture Prize for poetry.
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Nolens brilliantly addresses a number of classic themes, as if haunted by them: parents, the questioning child, youth portraits, farewell parties, city portraits, friends, loneliness, alcohol, God, money, the dream woman, and dream book. Nolens’ poems invariably distinguish themselves through their polyphonic ways of thinking and imaginary ways of acting. Each poem is a reasoning, each cycle a solid yet explosive behavioural type. Since 1989 Nolens has published four volumes of a highly singular journal, in which the relationship between poetry and identity is further fathomed. Nolens received the Constantijn Huygens Prize for his oeuvre in 1997. In 2004 appeared the fifth edition of his collected poems.
In 2007 Nolens finished the cycle-in-progress Bres (Breach), which he had been working on for more than ten years. The book was awarded with the VSB Poetry Prize, the most prestigious award in the low countries for poetry which carries a stipend of 25,000 euro for the recipient. Bres is generally acknowledged as a landmark in contemporary Dutch poetry.
Nolens is also known for his highly singular journals, in which the relationship between poetry and identity is further fathomed. In 2009, Nolens decided to publish his complete journals as Dagboek van een dichter. 1979-2007 (Journal of a poet. 1979-2007).
In 2007 Nolens finished the cycle-in-progress Bres (Breach), which he had been working on for more than ten years. The book was awarded with the VSB Poetry Prize, the most prestigious award in the low countries for poetry which carries a stipend of 25,000 euro for the recipient. Bres is generally acknowledged as a landmark in contemporary Dutch poetry.
Nolens is also known for his highly singular journals, in which the relationship between poetry and identity is further fathomed. In 2009, Nolens decided to publish his complete journals as Dagboek van een dichter. 1979-2007 (Journal of a poet. 1979-2007).
Last updated: Aug 13, 2009
Selective bibliography
Poetry
Twee vormen van zwijgen (Two forms of being silent), Pink Editions & Productions, Antwerp, 1975
Incantatie (Incantation ), Manteau, Brussels, 1977
Hommage, Manteau, Brussels, 1981
Vertigo, Manteau, Brussels, 1983
De gedroomde figuur (The Dreamt Figure), Querido, Amsterdam, 1986
Geboortebewijs (Birth proof ), Querido, Amsterdam, 1988
Liefdesverklaringen (Declarations of Love), Querido, Amsterdam, 1990
Tweedracht (Discord), Querido, Amsterdam, 1992
Honig en as (Honey and Ashes), Querido, Amsterdam, 1994
En verdwijn met mate (And vanish in moderation), Querido, Amsterdam, 1996
Voorbijganger (Passer-by), Querido, Amsterdam, 1999
Manieren van Leven, Querido, Amsterdam, 2001
Derwisj, Querido, Amsterdam, 2003
Laat alle deuren op een kier. Verzamelde gedichten (Leave all doors open. Collected Poems), Querido, Amsterdam, 2004
Een dichter in Antwerpen (A poet in Antwerp), Querido, Amsterdam, 2005
Een fractie van een kus (A fraction of a kiss), Querido, Amsterdam, 2007
Bres (Breach), Querido, Amsterdam, 2007
Woestijnkunde (Desertology), Querido, Amsterdam, 2008
Journals
Stukken van mensen : dagboek 1979-1982, Querido, Amsterdam, 1989.
Blijvend vertrek : dagboek 1983-1989, Querido, Amsterdam, 1993.
Een lastig portret: dagboek 1994-1996, Querido, Amsterdam, 1998.
De vrek van Missenburg:dagboek 1990-1993, Querido, Amsterdam, 1995.
Translations
Acte de naissance (French), La Différence, Paris, 1994
Brèche (French), Le Castor Astral, Bordeaux, 2004 Also translated in German in Schreibheft, 2004, nr. 62
Geburtsschein (German), Klein Hienrich, Münster, 1997
Porte socchiuse (Italian), Mobydick, Faenza, 1995
Slowo jert uczciwym znalazca (Polish), Witryn Artystów, Klotzko, 1994.
English translations have appeared in Modern Poetry in Translation (1997) and in In a different light: fourteen contemporary dutch-language poets (Poetry Wales Press, 2002).
Literary Prizes
Hugues C. Pernath prize (1985)
Jan Campert prize (1991)
Flemish Culture Prize for Poetry (1992)
Constantijn Huygens Prize (1997)
VSB Poetry Prize (2008)
Links
The works of Leonard Nolens are published by Querido (in Dutch).
Leonard Nolens on Lyrikline (in English).
Poetry
Twee vormen van zwijgen (Two forms of being silent), Pink Editions & Productions, Antwerp, 1975
Incantatie (Incantation ), Manteau, Brussels, 1977
Hommage, Manteau, Brussels, 1981
Vertigo, Manteau, Brussels, 1983
De gedroomde figuur (The Dreamt Figure), Querido, Amsterdam, 1986
Geboortebewijs (Birth proof ), Querido, Amsterdam, 1988
Liefdesverklaringen (Declarations of Love), Querido, Amsterdam, 1990
Tweedracht (Discord), Querido, Amsterdam, 1992
Honig en as (Honey and Ashes), Querido, Amsterdam, 1994
En verdwijn met mate (And vanish in moderation), Querido, Amsterdam, 1996
Voorbijganger (Passer-by), Querido, Amsterdam, 1999
Manieren van Leven, Querido, Amsterdam, 2001
Derwisj, Querido, Amsterdam, 2003
Laat alle deuren op een kier. Verzamelde gedichten (Leave all doors open. Collected Poems), Querido, Amsterdam, 2004
Een dichter in Antwerpen (A poet in Antwerp), Querido, Amsterdam, 2005
Een fractie van een kus (A fraction of a kiss), Querido, Amsterdam, 2007
Bres (Breach), Querido, Amsterdam, 2007
Woestijnkunde (Desertology), Querido, Amsterdam, 2008
Journals
Stukken van mensen : dagboek 1979-1982, Querido, Amsterdam, 1989.
Blijvend vertrek : dagboek 1983-1989, Querido, Amsterdam, 1993.
Een lastig portret: dagboek 1994-1996, Querido, Amsterdam, 1998.
De vrek van Missenburg:dagboek 1990-1993, Querido, Amsterdam, 1995.
Translations
Acte de naissance (French), La Différence, Paris, 1994
Brèche (French), Le Castor Astral, Bordeaux, 2004 Also translated in German in Schreibheft, 2004, nr. 62
Geburtsschein (German), Klein Hienrich, Münster, 1997
Porte socchiuse (Italian), Mobydick, Faenza, 1995
Slowo jert uczciwym znalazca (Polish), Witryn Artystów, Klotzko, 1994.
English translations have appeared in Modern Poetry in Translation (1997) and in In a different light: fourteen contemporary dutch-language poets (Poetry Wales Press, 2002).
Literary Prizes
Hugues C. Pernath prize (1985)
Jan Campert prize (1991)
Flemish Culture Prize for Poetry (1992)
Constantijn Huygens Prize (1997)
VSB Poetry Prize (2008)
Links
The works of Leonard Nolens are published by Querido (in Dutch).
Leonard Nolens on Lyrikline (in English).