19 sep 2010

Y(oung) Poetry

In March, this year, I participated in a poetry contest named YPoetry or Young Poetry.
It was an international poetry contest for 15-17 year olds from Berlin, Antverp (where I came from), Amsterdam and London. From each city two schools would participate and in each school three students would get to the finals in Antverp.
The selction of the finalists was based on the poems they wrote in the workshop at school.
I was so happy when I was selected, since I have a passion for writing and that passion was now recognised.
At the finals we had to read our poem in front of a big audience and a jury ( Princess Mathilde of Belgium was in that jury!!!!)
The theme was 'My city' and I decided to write my poem about my family in Chile. The time I wrote this poem was right after the earthquake there and I didn't know if everybody was ok. So I wrote all of my feelings in this poem.
I'll give you the original in Dutch first and then the english version, translated by professionals (it was an international contest)

Onbekende dierbaren

Witte duiven cirkelen rond het plein
De vriendelijke mensen voederen ze
En gaan verder met hun leven

Witte duiven cirkelen boven het puin
De mensen zien ze niet, vervolgen hun zoektocht
En hopen dat alles in orde is

Beelden dansen voor mijn ogen
Mensen die ik niet ken, maar ook wel
Waar zijn ze gebleven?

Mijn hart klopt als een bezeten
Ik kan niet blijven staan
Ik wacht en hoop dat alles in orde is

And now English!

Unknown Loved Ones

White doves circle over the square
The friendly people feed them
And carry on with their life

White doves circle over the rubble
The people do not see them, pursue their search
And hope that everything is fine

Images dance before my eyes
People I don't know, yet somehow do
Where have they gone?

My heart beats like crazy
I cannot stand still
I wait and hope thet everything is fine

What do you think? Give me your reactions.
Unfortunately I didn't get any prize but sill I was very proud for getting in the finals.
This will be an experience I'll never forget

Love Lola