Tialda Hoogeveen

Tialda Hoogeveen (Haskerdiken, 1974) is an author, poet and journalist. She writes in Frisian and Dutch, for children as well as adults. Her poems are inspired by an image or feeling, followed by figuring out the words.

Some of her poems have been published in poetry collections. In 2011, as part of the Turing National Poetry Contest her poem ‘Was de was’ (“Wash the washing”) was included in the poetry collection Dansen op de maat van het ogenblik. For the collection Er zit een feest in mij! Querido’s Poeziëspektakel 5 she contributed her poem ‘En/of God bestaat’ (“And/or God exists”).

In recent years she has started writing in Frisian as well. You can find the results in various poetry collections. Her poem ‘Yn de fierte’ (“In the distance”) is included in Nearnewâld, the jubilee volume of the Skriuwersboun association. Furthermore, in It grutte foarlêsboek (part 2) you can read ‘Oer Rosa (mar mear oer Hinke)’ (“About Rosa (although more about Hinke)”) and ‘Tichterby’ (“Closer”) in Minnezinne in moerstaal, a collection of erotic poetry in regional or civic dialects. Moreover, you can find her poems in the magazines for children and teenagers Tsjek and LinKk.

Additionally, poetry is an important part of the lessons or workshops she gives to children at primary schools.

all through the night

I’m nothing less than
certain, there’s a man

a body, it neatly fits
in one of my cabinets

behind the door
there is one more

the old skin-and-bones
moans and groans

my eyes open wide
can’t sleep, petrified

can I make them go away
anxious for the break of day

as of yet no end in sight
scared stiff all through the night

© Tialda Hoogeveen
Translation: Trevor M. Scarse