The latenight closures of Winternachten at Writers Unlimited are always upbeat. That's because the poets have already loosened up and the audience has drunk a bit more. And this time it was also because of mega-audience favourite (on other occasions) Arie Boomsma. Out of wantonness, the cheerful ratings canon smashed poetry books of his programme's guests.
It wasn't really fun for everyone, but you're a poet and your sales figures fit a hundred thousand times that of the star, so you shouldn't complain. VSB poetry prize nominee Miriam van Hee, at least, decided not to take part in the deflecting afterwards. The Björk of Dutch poetry, Kira Wuck, tried to make herself as invisible as possible.
Who doesn't need Boomsma's leverage is Rodaan al Galidi. His performances are always a party. And on this evening during Writers Unlimited, he had plenty to celebrate: the poet and author of now dozens of collections and novels in Dutch has finally passed his integration exam. The man who has delighted the Dutch literary world for years with his sharp observations and extraordinary declamations is officially allowed to compete. The Netherlands should be proud of that,
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