Poet Didier Steenhaut died unexpectedly

Last weekend we learned of the death of poet, painter, composer, writer and teacher Didier Steenhaut. Personally, we have had many contacts with this Zwalmen resident who came across as a very gentle, sensitive man. First of all, many Zwalmen residents got to know Didier as a composer when Zwalm was ‘Village of the Round’. Mayor Bruno Tuybens: “The news really touched me. I have so many wonderful memories of him. He composed the ‘Village of the Tour’ song in 2011, which he also sang himself.” We know Didier as a writer of, among other things, his poetry collections ‘Zwalmse poems’ and ‘Everything is seen’. He also participated with his paintings in our exhibition during the 2016 Cobblestone Festival. He also performed there in 2017 with the band ‘Blechtrommel’ and was the strongest man in cobblestone throwing for three years in a row. In his collection of poems with the telling title ‘Seeing everything is’ (which was presented in the beautiful surroundings of the Castle of Lilare) he breathes newfound happiness. From an intense involvement with human existence and the surrounding world, the poet first refers to the theme of saying goodbye. As the collection progresses, the author condenses a new sense of life and the meaning of being present on this earth. With trepidation he cherishes the simplicity and beauty of things… (Irene Vander Cruyssen) Didier was 52 years old. We wish Didier’s family a lot of strength.