Carla van der Zwaag (1951) was born and raised in Heerenveen. As she was browsing in a book store with her twin sister at the age of 13, she came upon a collection of poetry by Hanny Michaelis. Before long she started writing her own poems, several of which were published in the school newspaper of the Kweekskoalle (Teacher Training College) in Sneek. She got married, had three children and was a teacher for 25 years, after which she again had time to write poetry and to draw. After a three-year course of Frisian, a poetry course by Abe de Vries and a Masterclass led by Arjan Hut, she was ready to start writing Frisian poetry.
Carla is part of the poetry collective FersFroulju (Women of Verse) and in 2019 she joined the group of poets contributing new poetry to FeRstival, a poetry recital festival for school children. Lately Carla is making drawings to go with her poems.
Submitted poems
Lonely
Melting together
Melting together In the distance I saw you, you sea, like a bathtub caught between two dunes. I cheered untill you would show yourself to me in full glory. Mountains of stone and sand like a veil covering your face. More close tower-high houses with thousands of window-eyes. At last you spread for me your most beautiful blue-silver carpet, foam on your cheeks. Your skin, so yellow-glowing, met my toes. I spread my arms, fell into you. Our melting together only took a quarter of an hour. Than you threw me on your highest waves, satisfied, back on the warm beach. © Carla van der Zwaag Translation: Carla van der Zwaag. Fers2 nû. 5.5, 10 maart 2019