Poem
Breathe deep and calmly
Let thoughts slowly drift away
Silent dreams unfold
Willem Schoorstra
About the bench
Machiel Braaksma: “Here we have a view of the center of Dokkum: there you are a participant, here you are a spectator. This place invites you to rest, contemplate, observe and reflect. Willem Schoorstra’s poem is a beautiful call, recommendation and invitation to do that. The bench is the carrier, the vehicle. Also literally. A skateboard symbolizes relaxing, clearing your head, being free, adventure, and thus ties in with Willem’s poem and helps to convey it. The poem, together with the image of the universe, brings you to something special: the spot on the bench, the spot in your head and the spot within the bigger picture. Whether you are 4 years old or 80, whether you are from around here or from the other side of the world, this bench is inclusive, everyone gets a signal of recognition and can be attracted to it.”
Update 14-05-’25: To our dismay, the top of the bench was destroyed shortly after the unveiling.
About the makers
Poet | Willem Schoorstra, born in 1959 in Ternaard, made his debut in 2001 with the poetry collection Ynwijing. This was followed by the collection of stories Berjochten út Babel, and the novels Swarte Ingels (Fedde Schurer Prize), De ôfrekken, Rêdbâd, Pier, De nacht fan Mare (Rink van der Velde Prize), Jacht op de Codex Frisicus and in 2023 Erfskip – the saga of Ubba Skylding. The novels Swarte Ingels, Pier and Rêdbâd were also published in Dutch. In 2019, Rosmos was published, the Gift Book of the Frisian Book Week. In 2020, the Poetic Edda came into the spotlight, a translation of the famous collection of Icelandic poems. That publication was awarded the provincial Obe Postma Prize for the best translation of the past four years in 2024. In addition to writing novels, Schoorstra also works on screenplays, columns, essays and various literary and historical projects.
Visual artist | With a lightly Dadaist slant, Machiel Braaksma takes objects out of daily life, with which he creates new images and situations which are funny, moving or confusing and nuance or comment on life. He chooses things from everyday life, reassembles them and creates new pieces. Braaksma says about his work: ‘I put everything in the wrong order in the ‘right’ way. “What I want from my work is that it’s original, unmistakable and that it has longevity. I’m looking for resilient, sturdy objects that can unashamedly be themselves yet engaging. Images with an exuberant integrity and a shameless, inner beauty.”
With thanks to
Provincie Fryslân, Gemeente Noardeast-Fryslân, Walter Baas, Elzinga Jistrum, De Mannen van Staal Leeuwarden
Picture: Hoge Noorden | Jacob van Essen