Kopland meets Heaney in Dublin

On Thursday 15 June, Rutger Kopland gave a lecture of his work in conjunction with his translator Willem Groenewegen and the poet Seamus Heaney at the Dublin Writers Festival. An English-language selection from Kopland’s poems recently appeared under the title What Water Left Behind (Waxwing Poems, 2006). The collection contains new translations and unpublished translations by the late James Brockway which have been edited by Groenewegen.

The evening was sold out well in advance. Kopland and Groenewegen were even asked for tickets on the flight from Amsterdam Schiphol to Dublin. Kopland was at his ease that evening, cracked a few jokes, and also moved the audience with his poems.

Seamus Heaney articulated his appreciation of the translations and, onstage, drew a parallel between his work and that of Kopland: ‘the word that comes to mind is trustworthiness’.

At the conclusion, there were many people who, besides the author’s signature in Heaney’s new collection District and Circle, also wished one in Kopland’s What Water Left Behind. The local bookshop did an excellent trade.

Published: June 15, 2006 news | poetry