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The two authors presented their poetry in three German cities in August.
Here are the accounts ofwhat our LIC colleague, ʱٰѾܱášDZá, and poetܳܳԲܲáDZá thought about the presentationsin Dresden, Leipzig and Berlin.
The three readings promotedtwo newly published bilingual poetry collections:Hyperby Zuzana Husárová andErwachen / Waking Up byMichalHabaj. The books came out in the German publishing househochroth Leipzig.LIC, together with the publisher and the Honorary Consulate of the Republic in Leipzig and the Community in Sachsen organized the events.
Both collections came out in theOstroVers edition, which aims to create"poetic isles" stemming from various countries of the former Ost Block. It was the first time thathochroth Leipzig published the work of authors.Hyperintroduces poems from the last two yearsthat have not yet been published in , whereasErwachenfeatures a selection of mostly already-published poems that now, for the first time, appear in a two-language edition.
On Thursday, August 19th 2021, the first reading took place in Dresden's modernZentralbibliotek -- part ofKulturpalast --in the heart of the historical center of the city.Sylvie Meißner, who is responsible for the languages and inclusion section, welcomed us to the library. Then Iintroducedour authors as well asthe work we do at the foreign department of LIC. Afterwards, Zuzana Husárová read some of her poems from her collection both in German and in . One of the translators, Stefanie Bose, read the German translations of Michal Habaj's poems, while the author read the originals. A discussion with the authors followed, with questions from the audience as well.
It was mostly s and Czechs living in Dresden who attended the eventand it was a pleasure to meet them. We learned that they founded a library in Dresden, in which people can borrow books in our languages.
On Friday, August 28th, translator and employee of the Honorary Consulate in LeipzigStefanie Bosekindly accompanied us to Leipzig. The evening, titledhochroth³ – die Lesereihe (#2)was organized by the bookstorein a quiet, photogenicpart of the city center. About 20 people came to hear the reading set in the courtyard of an apartments' block, but there were others who watched the event indirectly, too: residentssitting on their balconies and smoking an evening cigarette, or children playing in the farcorner of the courtyard. Their presence added a valuable touch of the everyday to the poetry.
Local poet Martina Hefter also presented her work at the reading. She read from her poetry collectionIn die Wälder gehen, Holz für ein Bett klauen / Into the Forrest, Stealing Wood for a Bed, publishedby kookbooks. Unplanned impulses from the flats above the courtyards underlined the suggestive performances of the two female poets, e.g. when we heard the sound of a washing machine precisely in the moment when Zuzana Husárová read from her poem Bedrooms: "you are the disruptive element of the family because you seek freedom, as do I / when will you return from the washing machine?" And when Martina Hefter read the solemn poemLinn Meier(†2019)about the life and gradual death of an anorectic, the air was filled with the smell of schnitzels being fried for dinner.
The third reading,H&H in Berlinon August21, was partof the annual summer celebration of the publishing househochroth, and it was attendedby people from all the branches:Berlin, Bielefeld, Heidelberg, Leipzig, Munich, Parisand Wiesenburg. In a parknear the villaNovilla, in the cultural centerMoving Poets Novilla, many poets from all corners of Europe gathered at the Spree river to read their poetry. Our authors were closing this inspiring event at dusk when the red full moon appeared, together with their Czech colleagues Jan Škrob and translator Lana Dornová who read in place of Jitka N. Srbová.
Petra Mikulášová
Espresso Tonic, my new coffee pleasure, has found its place in Dresden, Leipzig and Berlin, via conceptual import, in the questioning eyebrows of waitresses, uniquely mixed, lemon drop added. In Dresden, we were welcomed by the beautiful newZentralbibliothek in collaboration withSlowaken in Sachsen -- women genuinely interested in poetry forms and literary events. In Leipzig, in thecourtyard of a former slaughter house, nowRotorbooks bookstore,we transformed a poetry reading and discussion into a social event: as the washing machine whirred and the dogs barked, as schnitzels were fried and evening quarrels dawned, as ashes fromcigarettes smoked on balconies silently descended upon the intonations and emphases of both translatedand original texts, even a question from the audience was asked and the GermanұԾß happened. Villa Novilla welcomed us in Berlin and Hochroth with its sommerfest and itsoutstanding German authors (poems by KarolineGünderrode), with an open bar and a stage with a backdrop of beautiful scenery:people, bar, mythic trees, applause, a night in this town with Mišo Habaj and Honza Škrob in front of you;the river, E.T. in Café Morgenrot and a whole day in great company behind you.
I would like to thank the whole Literary Center, especially Barbora Németh for organization and Petra Mikulášová for a pleasant and professional approach and a joyfull company throughout the whole trip. A huge virtual hug to translator and fellow reader Martina Lisa, host and poet Ulrika Feibig and translator Stefanie Bose. I was honored to have spent time with you.
Monday morning I walk into the Insitute of Czech Literature of the CAS, where I am a stipendist in August, andĽubica Šmarcová smiles at me and asks: „Shall we have an espresso tonic?“
Zuzana Husárová
