Edwin de Groot was RIXT-poet of the month May 2022. You can read his original Frisian poems of that month here. The translation of one of them – ‘What Nr 14 already said’ – is published here in translation.

Edwin de Groot was RIXT-poet of the month May 2022. You can read his original Frisian poems of that month here. The translation of one of them – ‘What Nr 14 already said’ – is published here in translation.
Cornelis van der Wal was RIXT-poet of the month April 2022. You can read his original Frisian poems of that month here. The translation of one of them – ‘White houses’ – is published here in translation.
White houses White houses, in the woods cruel animals lurk. Bones lie in a circle around the city moat. The sun knows what the bones should think. Planes throw dead children like bombs on the white city. © Cornelis van der Wal Translation: Trevor Scarse
Ina Schroders-Zeeders was the RIXT poet of the month March 2022. You can read her original Frisian poems of that month here. The translation of one of them – ‘Cain’s wrath’ – is published here.
Cain’s wrath a fratricide takes place in a sunny landscape where yellow flowers will grow down the line for now, the flight of innocence still holds sway the fear for the cruelty of a bitter despot now that the mad Eastern wind wreaks havoc nature holds its breath for when calm will return and Abel’s death is avenged by flowers a dull green helmet will swiftly rust and become a nest to a pair of lustrous doves © Ina Schroders-Zeeders Translation: Trevor Scarse
Bennie Huisman was the RIXT poet of the month February 2022. You can read his original Frisian poems of that month here. The translation of one of them – ‘the song of asking’ – is published here.
the song of asking when will you be home? An everyday question asked so easily yet behind what’s obvious lie just too many assumptions to mention what does ‘home’ even mean to us is it a house, a yard, a town, a county? another, a love, a mother’s hand? is it a language, belief or just a story? for king and country, earth’s greatest? our homeland? they say ‘home is where the heart is...’ the place you drive to for Christmas but what if it’s a wish to live, somewhere that is safe and warless? so many people have left their home fleeing from poverty and violence we have room, but just to let you know you’re welcome ‘til you become a nuisance for our own wealth we have looted and burned our rubbish sent to wherever we could and our human rights have to be earned something they likely haven’t understood we ourselves are often questioned but we doubt another’s habits more how much hope have we thus dampened when someone knocked on our closed door when someone knocked – on my own door where is my home? after withdrawing from what bore that name so naturally since then, I’m searching, sometimes not knowing if a border, a door is opened for me hoping my soul will see – and open up to thee © Bennie Huisman Translation: Trevor Scarse
Arjan Hut was the RIXT poet of the month January 2022. You can read his original Frisian poems of that month here. The translation of one of them – ‘Pop-up store’ – is published here.
Pop-up store It looks as if she’s sitting there alone, a young woman on the floor of the pop-up store with her back to the window drawing, deep in a field of paper she traces black lines across black lines Charcoal Forest. Twilight Woods. Wolf appears Daylight reflects off of the glass – what percentage of the light bounds back to the sun immediately? Is it her back turned to me, her posture, delicate and fragile like vinyl, or her isolation that grabs my attention? Bend over paper. When I get closer to the glass, balancing on the edge of a word, I’m caught, from behind the counter, by another set of eyes – they’re sizing me up That’s when I move on. Around us the city creaks, and lonely I’ve never been The city creaks and skids through a frozen dream Old is the dusk and full of poetry I’m looking for a wolf and find a rifle. © Arjan Hut Translation: Trevor Scarse
Gerrit de Vries was the RIXT poet of the month December 2021. You can read his original Frisian poems of that month here. The translation of one of them – ‘Moth hunt’ – is published here.
Moth hunt my tool looks a bit like a tennis racket a light-green handle with a small shutter for the batteries a light-green shaft press the yellow button like sparklers on New Year’s Eve the moth flickers gaily on the wall with supple arm movements I direct letters of air if you hit a moth in mid-air and you’re lucky it’ll burst into pieces with a loud bang and a blue flash of light in a shower of satisfaction I wish I could touch you that way © Gerrit de Vries Translation: Trevor Scarse
Cornelis van der Wal was the RIXT poet of the month October 2021. You can read his original Frisian poems of that month here. The translation of one of them – ‘Crystal radios for grandpa’ – is published here.
Crystal radios for grandpa The light thundered above the glimmering flowers of the old field, where the vagabond sang his songs, the watchdog would sharpen his teeth with sour saliva. Some of the farmers knew what to do, the hour when grandpa came sailing into the black canal on his scow. Due to their crystal radios everybody knew of his arrival. © Cornelis van der Wal Translation: Trevor Scarse