In each season of the year, we publish a poetry bookmark working with a poet, visual artist and bookshops. It means each season brings with it a freshly written poem in Frisian with an illustration.
A different poet is given a writing assignment for each bookmark and the poem gets translated into Dutch and English. A visual artist or illustrator is then asked to create work for the calendar year. This means the four seasonal bookmarks come together as a collection. You can collect them by buying a book at one of the Van der Velde bookshops in Friesland or at one of the other large bookshops in our province. The poems will also be published, in all three languages, on this webpage.
2025
Whole year: illustrations by Julia van der Bos
Spring: poem by Mayte Veenstra (Frisian and Dutch), translated by Vivien Glass (English)
2024
Whole year: illustrations by Michiel Kloppenburg
Spring: poem by Arjan Hut (Frisian), translated by Jantsje Post (Dutch) and David Colmer (English)
Summer: poem by Marrit Jellema (Dutch), translated by Arjan Hut (Frisian) and Preston Losack (English)
Autumn: poem by Paul van Dijk (Frisian/Dutch), translated by Vivien Glass (English)
Winter: poem by Gabrielle Terpstra (Frisian/Dutch), translated by Donald Gardner (English)
2023
Whole year: visual work by Janine van Zeeland
Spring: poem by Syds Wiersma (Frisian/Dutch), translated by Michele Hutchison (English)
Summer: poem by Iris Dicke (Dutch), translated by Syds Wiersma (Frisian) and David McKay (English)
Autumn: poem by Melvin van Eldik (Liwwadders/Dutch), translated by David McKay (English)
Winter: poem by Lara Kool (Frisian, Dutch and English)
Where available?
You can get the bookmarks at:
All shops of Van der Velde Boeken in Friesland, bookstore Binnert Overdiep Heerenveen, bookstore Muizelaar Koudum, Het Boekhuis Bolsward, Het Boekhuis e Workum, bookstore Planteyn Gorredijk, Boekhandel Burgum, children’s bookstore De Toverlantaarn in Leeuwarden, bookstore Friso Akkrum, Bruna Surhuisterveen, Bruna Sneek, Bruna Kollum, bookstore IJlstra Drachten and at the Afûk bookstore in Leeuwarden.
Picture: Mélanie THESE | Unsplash
