Poetry Week, the poetry festival of Flanders and the Netherlands, is everywhere and for everyone! From January 29 to February 4, 2026, we celebrate Poetry Week 2026 with the theme “Metamorphosis.” Ellen Deckwitz is writing a handful of brand-new poems on this theme, which will be collected in the 2026 Poetry Gift. Poets will perform in many locations.
Poetry Gift 2026
Curious about the Poetry Gift? Starting January 29, 2026, Poetry Day, you can read it by purchasing a gift at a participating bookstore. With a purchase of at least €12.50 worth of poetry, you’ll receive the gift completely free!
But that’s not all: a free Poetry Day poster will also be available, featuring a poem from the gift. The poster’s design will perfectly complement the Poetry Gift, and both promise a visual and poetic spectacle.
And there’s more good news: an audio version of the Poetry Gift will once again be available through Passend Lezen. A braille version will also be produced by the Luisterpunt Library, so everyone can enjoy this special collection.
About the Gift author Ellen Deckwitz
Ellen Deckwitz (born 1982) is a Dutch poet. Her collections have won national and international poetry prizes such as the C. Buddingh’, the E. du Perron, and the Premio Ciampi. Besides being a leading voice in Dutch literature, Deckwitz is a tireless ambassador for poetry. She produces the daily podcast Poëzie Vandaag for AVRO-TROS, her book Eerste Hulp Bij Poëzie (First Aid for Poetry) is an accessible guide for young people who want to delve deeper into poetry, and she also visits dozens of schools annually in both Flanders and the Netherlands to inspire younger generations to embrace verse.
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