Kate Schlingemann is a poet, children’s book author and illustrator. In 2000 she published her first picturebooks (Luister, 2000-2005). Following these she wrote a collection of shortstories, Spindingen. On commission she wrote and illustrated the book series Pietje en Rozijntje. Her first poems for children were published in Querido’s Poëziespektakel 4 and 5, followed by her debut poetry collection Wondermiddel (Xanten, 2016). Many of her poems have been collected in various anthologies and literary magazines, both in Dutch and Frisian (It leafst bin ik in fûgel, Afûk, 2018).
From the beginning of 2016 Kate has been involved as a poet and editor with the poetry magazine Dichter. by Plint; and recently she’s become part of the editorial board of RIXT (rixt.frl).
Recurring themes in her work are ‘home, where/when are you at home’ and ‘estrangement/wonder’ with language as a ferry between coast and the dot on the horizon.
Awards:
- Second prize for the poem ‘Bemoeizorg’ in the Turing National Poetry Competition 2012.
- Second prize for the poem ‘Weet ik veel’ from Wondermiddel in the Flemish Jotie T’hooft Poetry Prize.
For her poem ‘Het begin van de regenworm’ (translated below) she got a 10 out of 10 from jury member Ellen Deckwitz of the Willem Wilmink Poetry Competition in 2016, and second prize.
Submitted poems
The beginning of the earthworm
The reasons
the beginning of the earthworm what are we to do with all those birds except steal their trick of hanging in the air with all those birds snatch up a chip hanging in the air above outdoor café tables snatch up a chip fish fried fillets of haddock above outdoor café tables or draw worms from the grass fish fried fillets of haddock often in packed ponds or draw worms from the grass how we fit into pigeon-holes often in packed ponds maintain balance on flagpoles how we fit into pigeon-holes where the earthworm begins maintain balance on flagpoles that we learn from all birds where the earthworm begins but never know this for certain that we learn from all birds except steal their trick but never know this for certain what are we to do © Kate Schlingemann
Poet Kate Schlingemann reads her own poem in the original Dutch language.