As the first days of a new year unfold, we are filled with quiet hopes, like letters sealed and waiting to be sent. The world spins on, yet there are moments of pause—like the soft hush between words, or the stillness before a postcard arrives from afar.

Dear Versopolis friends,

As the first days of a new year unfold, we are filled with quiet hopes, like letters sealed and waiting to be sent. The world spins on, yet there are moments of pause—like the soft hush between words, or the stillness before a postcard arrives from afar. This time of year invites us to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with the beauty around us, as the poets do.In the words of Ana Pepelnik's poem

Suddenly Snow:
Today the world gets on my nerves.
People are overstrained
like buds on a cherry tree.

If I write down that I am alone
I mean that. I illustrate bad a poem
with music between my fingers.

All of a sudden the world is ok.
The slush was gone through the night
and sparrows are having breakfast.

I want another postcard
with a few lines about how it is
with other people in other towns
And so, we write again. May this new year bring you many letters, poems, and postcards, carrying you forward into the unfolding days of 2025.

With warm wishes,
Your Versopolis TeamEXPRESS WHAT YOU ARE SEARCHING FORVersopolis class with Bart JaquesWelcome to the third session of the Versopolis Traineeship, "Express What You Are Searching For." This class, led by multidisciplinary artist Bart Jaques, explores the intersection of poetry, video, and sound, demonstrating how poetry can thrive in multimedia formats.Through a lecture, exercises, and real-world examples, Jaques will guide participants in integrating words, visuals, and audio to create compelling artistic expressions. The session offers practical insights and hands-on opportunities for experimenting with video poetry, helping participants expand their creative boundaries.Join us to discover how poetry can evolve through multimedia and learn techniques for crafting works that engage and resonate with audiences.                                                                                                                      Take a class >>

POETRY EXPO 2025Counting down...Embracing this year's theme, "Igniting Change, One Verse at a Time," the Poetry Expo will start on January 31st with a captivating podcast, setting the stage for a month-long celebration of creativity. Throughout February, we’ll share the brilliant submissions we've received—every day you can expect up to five contributions from organizations and individuals alike. The month promises to be a vibrant tapestry of voices, weaving together diverse, poetic, and colorful stories that will inspire and ignite change. Get ready!

CROSSING BORDERS WITH POETRY: SLOVENIA MEETS CHINAVersopolis podcast #23Western audiences are generally unaware of contemporary developments in Chinese culture. Dr Katja Kolšek, a Slovenian sinologist and translator based in Beijing, where she works at the Slovenian Embassy, is helping to bring Chinese prose and poetry to Europe. She fosters poetic exchange with Slovenia by organising readings and translation workshops, including the bilingual collection Poetry Is the Salt of the World. Among her translations are poems by the Chinese poet Bei Dao, a collection of contemporary Chinese short prose, the classic Ming dynasty novel Jin Ping Mei, and other works of poetry and prose by contemporary Chinese writers such as Er Mao and Dai Weina.Dr Katja Kolšek is a Slovenian philosopher, sinologist and a translator working in Beijing. She translates works of contemporary and traditional Chinese literature.>> Listen here

AUTHORS OF THE WEEKBelarus and TurkeyRiding the camel of memory: search for identity, the power of words and times of changes by Olga Bubich

While the entire world seems to be going through an unsettling period that future generations will probably define as decisive, historical, or, as a singer poetically put it not long ago, ‘the time of changes’, Belarus is facing a specific problem of its own. Its last USSR-born generation, now in their late 30s to early 40s, having witnessed the brief euphoria of the 2020 protests – swiftly replaced by the PTSD of the years that followed – is struggling not to lose its identity in exile.>> Keep readingFrom a little hole in the ground to the constellations by Olga Bubich

It is next to impossible to find a Belarusian who has never heard Sveta Ben performing, or at least heard of her. A poet, a puppet theatre director, an actress and a musician with solo and tandem-based projects ranging from Brecht-inspired cabaret to bold experimental electronic music. However, across this wide variety of genres, Sveta’s poetic voice remains consistent and recognisable: her lyrics are always about basic human values, empathy, fragility of everything alive, the need for mutual care, and admiration for beauty unexpectedly found in universal everydayness.>> Keep reading

The possibility of every poem being translatable without losing its value is greater than the possibility of any poem losing its value in translation by Gökçenur Ç.

Versopolis, platform dedicated to European poetry, plays a crucial role in poetry translation, fostering the cross-cultural exchange of voices. It provides a space where poets from diverse linguistic backgrounds can share their work, and translations are not merely a bridge between languages but a way to preserve and amplify the layered meanings inherent in each poem. >> Keep readingThe architecture of poetry by Efe Duyan

As a poet with a background in architecture, I am captivated by the dynamic interplay between architectural design and poetry. Both poetry and architecture engage with the intricate balance between form and content, structure and fluidity, while addressing the manifold dimensions of human experience. Moving through successive rooms in a building is similar to reading a poem. This essay explores how architectural principles undergird my poetic practice, positing a framework that reconceptualises the nexus of design and language.>> Keep reading

CLAUDIA DI PALMA AT VOIX VIVES Moved by VersopolisThis summer, poet Claudia di Palma attended the Voix Vives Mediterranean Festival, an experience she summed up in one word: "Friendship." She spoke of the joy of connecting with extraordinary poets from around the world and of an audience deeply engaged with poetry. Her most cherished memory? "Lecture en barque"—reading her poems aboard a boat while spectators rowed gently through the water. "It was wonderful!" she recalled.>> Stroll down her memory lane

ANNUAL VERSOPOLIS PARTNER MEETINGPoetry, Culture, and Connection in Oeiras, PortugalBetween January 22nd and 23rd, the beautiful coastal town of Oeiras, Portugal, will transform into a vibrant hub of poetry, creativity, and collaboration as it hosts the annual Versopolis Partner Meeting. This year, representatives from Europe’s most prominent poetry festivals will gather to share visions, discuss future Versopolis projects, and reflect on the ever-evolving landscape of European poetry.A unique highlight of this gathering is its connection to the remarkable Parque dos Poetas (Poets’ Park)—a breathtaking green expanse celebrating Portugal’s literary heritage through stunning sculptures of its most iconic poets and writers. This symbolic setting, where nature and the power of words intertwine, will provide an inspiring backdrop for meaningful conversations about poetry’s role in shaping cultural narratives.In the spirit of Portuguese tradition, the meeting will be enriched by a captivating cultural program featuring poetry readings intertwined with the soulful melodies of Fado, evoking the saudade that has made Portuguese literature resonate across the world.The Versopolis Partner Meeting in Oeiras promises not only to foster dialogue and collaboration among poetry festivals but also to highlight poetry’s enduring power to bridge borders and connect people.

VIR: Versopolis