Poet Sytse Jansma from Harlingen has been nominated for the 2024 C. Buddingh Prize with his poetry collection ‘Rose Moon Fish’. The winner will be announced on June 1.
In his Dutch-language poetry collection, which was published by Atlas Contact publishers at the beginning of this year, Jansma writes candidly and movingly about his deceased girlfriend and the grieving process that followed her death. Jansma uses ‘singing language that leads an independent life’, said the reviewer of this newspaper: ‘A convincing and strong debut.’
From the jury report of the C. Buddingh’ Prize: ‘In Pinkish angelfish becomes a very personal suffering, the sudden loss of your loved one, elevated to great poetry… […] You believe the poet when he tries, almost desperately at times, to turn everything that language can be into a lifebuoy.’
Oomen
The other nominees are Merel van Slobbe met The moon shines brighter in the Metaverse the bundle The direction is towards the diversion by Bob Vanden Broeck and Indolent by Dewi de Nijs Bik. The jury of the poetry prize consists of Joost Oomen, who is chairman, poet Lisette Ma Neza and reviewer Toef Jaeger. A total of 24 bundles were submitted.
The C. Buddingh’ Prize is for the best Dutch-language poetry debut and has been awarded since 1988. Previous winners include Joke van Leeuwen, Lucas Rijneveld, Lieke Marsman, Ellen Deckwitz and Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer.
