The jury, headed by newly-appointed Antwerp city poet Peter Holvoet-Hanssen, chose five winners, which were printed in the Gazet van Antwerpen. From these, readers voted for the public prize winner, while the jury chose its first prize winner. On 14 February in Antwerp’s Central Station, the poem “Inuit” by Hilde Pinnoo, a published poet from Dilbeek (pictured), was awarded first prize by the jury. Leen Raats of Hasselt won the public prize. Both poets were awarded a heartshaped diamond. Below is Pinnoo’s poem in the original Dutch and translated into English.

Inuit

Ze staren in de nacht, in facetten
van ijs – hard als diamant en scherp
als scherven – een teveel aan donker
dat hen wakker houdt. Ooit waren er

uren dat ze konden schuilen in de iglo
van zijn mond, tot het dooiwater
van hun wanden droop. Dit noorden zijn ze
kwijt. Wat blijft is een fonkelend verwijt

tegen zwijgende ruggen, handen
zonder vingers en palmen van verlies.
Niemand durft deze dagen nog

te janken, tenzij met de ogen
en de lippen droog, uit angst voor
de ruwe pijn van onsplijtbaar wit.

They stare in the night, in facets
of ice – hard as diamond and sharp
as shards – an excess of darkness
that keeps them awake. Ever were there

hours that they could take shelter in the igloo
of his mouth, until the thawed water
drained from their walls. They have lost this
north. What remains is a blazing reproach

against silent backs, hands
without fingers and palms of loss.
Nobody dares anymore

to howl, unless with the eyes
and the lips dry, out of angst for
the raw pain of indivisible white.

Talking Dutch by Alistair MacLean will be back on 10 March