Dear Versopolis friends,

Are all poets heavy drinkers? No, that's a rather simplistic question designed to draw you into this month's newsletter. However, in this edition, we delve into the fascinating relationship between alcohol and poets, exploring the curious connections and inspirations that fuel creativity. We shine a spotlight on a Ukrainian poetess, exploring her life intertwined with poetry. With a plethora of poetry festivals taking place this and next month, you'll have to decide where to immerse yourself in the vibrant scene. Additionally, we spotlighted two authors of the week in Ireland and journeyed to Denmark with our traveling author, participating in Sommertid.

With poetic regards,
Your Versopolis teamPOETRY AND ALCOHOLVersopolis podcast #16Why are so many poets heavy drinkers? Over the centuries, many writers have been addicted to alcohol, some of them write about their problems in compelling and memorable ways. Hemingway drank ‘to make other people more interesting’, while F. Scott Fitzgerald came out with the famous line, ‘first you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you’. From Steinbeck to Joyce to Bukowski, the fate of many writers is epitomised by Brendan Behan’s comment that he is a ‘drinker with a writing problem’. In this episode, we explore how the altered states of consciousness are connected to artistic expression. How is alcohol entangled in our culture and spiritual life? What are some of the healthier alternatives that promote creativity? Ramunė Brundzaitė is a Lithuanian poet, whose second poetry book titled Fellowship of Empty Bottles (2022), delves into the questions of overcoming the thirst for alcohol, looking for an ‘… attempt to establish a real, honest, sincere connection with other people, a fellowship that can replace any bottle, empty or full’. Also joining her is Sergej Harlamov, a Slovenian poet, who says he was ‘a nasty drunk’ while writing his first poetry collection, but that the problem was not seen as grave in the context of his working-class upbringing.>> Listen here

MERGING LITERARY TRADITIONSMy life with poetryMarie Iljašenko was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, into a family of Czech-Polish descent. Her poetry resonates a rich interplay of influences from different languages, experiences and cultures that are part of her multicultural identity. Even though she had written her first poem at the tender age of 14 and had published her first book when she was 30, she modestly admits to being rather laid-back. She believes that poetry has taught her to perceive the incredible beauty surrounding her, often unnoticed amidst the clutter of daily concerns. We stopped her at one of Verospolis festivals and asked her about her life with poetry. Luckily, she also had some advice for all the emerging poets. >> Watch here

JUNE FESTIVALSGenoa, Rotterdam, Oslo, Ledbury, Krakow

Poetry International Festival
Dates: 6th – 9th June 2024
Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
The 54th Poetry International Festival Rotterdam takes everything out of poetry and the poetic out of everything. With poets and spoken word artists from all over the world and partners from far and near, the festival presents unique poetry performances, theme specials, workshops, interviews and interactive programs. The best poets from the world will step beyond the boundaries of traditional literary expression and engage with artists from different fields like fashion, comics, therapy, karaoke, philosophy and much more. They are going to push the boundaries of what poetry can be!

Genoa International Poetry Festival "Wide open words"
Dates: 6th – 16th June 2024
Location: Genoa, Italy
"Wide open words" Festival is held since 1995 and is considered the most important event in Italy concerning poetry. Every year the Festival provides 120 free events such as readings, performances, exhibitions, concerts, workshops, guided tours, projections in more than 30 locations in Genoa and in other towns of the Riviera, for an average of 30.000 spectators. The festival will take place in two parts - the second part hosing Versopolis poets will take place in November this year.

Oslo International Poetry Festival
Dates: 21st June 2024
Location: Oslo, Norway
Oslo International Poetry Festival is the largest international festival of avant garde and experimental poetry in Norway. It is an independent festival run by a small group of programmers who seek out and bring together the best and most interesting underground poetry in the world. The Festival is held in several parts, with the first part taking place June 21st within Queer Poetry Evening. The festival is eager to promote new voices without neglecting the seniors, and feels a special commitment to present poetry written by poets with minority background.

Ledbury Poetry Festival
Dates: 28th June – 7th July 2024
Location: Ledbury, UK
At Ledbury Poetry Festival, surrounded by orchards and hills, poets from all over the world gather to read, debate and share their work with readers and curious audiences. Award-winning poets stand alongside upcoming talents in a thrillingly electric mix of events and workshops, music, exhibitions and bike rides. The Festival aims to be broadly appealing, inspiring, as well as challenging and stimulating.

Miłosz Festival
Dates: 30th June – 7th July 2024
Location: Krakow, Poland
The Miłosz Festival is a leading poetry event in Poland and the largest in Eastern Europe, promoting Polish literary heritage and global poetry. Its diverse program features meetings with authors, workshops, podcasts, poetry slams, interdisciplinary art events, and collaborations with publishers and literary magazines. The festival also offers year-round poetry events for all ages, aiming to cultivate and promote poetry.                                                               

>> Find out more about the upcoming festivals

AUTHORS OF THE WEEKIrelandThe Atmospheres of Irish poetry by Thomas McCarthy
In Irish poetry, for nearly two centuries, there was only W. B. Yeats and his sense of the past: our great national poet and Nobel Prize winner. Yeats was the towering presence who had actually lived in a famous tower in County Galway, Thoor Ballylee. He was a charismatic and powerful senator, politically romantic, but also a consummate organiser of theatre and journalism. And around him, all of Irish writing cohered into a single atmosphere.>> Keep readingPoetry & The Craftswoman Self by Annemarie Ní ChurreáinI was a child who always wanted to stay up late. Even when tired, I was drawn to the edge of my mother’s knitting circle. Clickety, click. It was full throttle Aran jumper construction against the clock. Telling stories, smoking Benson & Hedges, counting thick, creamy stitches by the row. Every now and then a woman would fling her needles down into her lap and let out an explosive curse. All through the night the knitters urged each other on, hour by hour, with gossip, rumours, news. Did you hear? Do you want to hear? Let me tell you! Éist!>> Keep reading

SAMANTHA BARENDSON AT SOMMERTIDMoved by VersopolisSamantha Barendson, a French, Italian, and Argentinian poetess, shared her enriching experience at the Sommertid Festival in Copenhagen this April. She attended the festival to explore a new culture and meet new poets, finding the venue—a former church—particularly memorable, as it symbolized poetry as a new religion. The highlights of her trip included meeting Ernestas Noreika and Peter Dyreborg, and appreciating the access to translated works. Barendson valued the learning opportunities about local culture, book economy, and artist status, and brought her unique performative, rhythmic poetry readings to the festival. Though she left for a book fair in Bordeaux the next day, she wished for more time to connect with her hosts and explore the poetry house van. For her, Versopolis means "family.">> Stroll down her memory lane

VIR: Versopolis