Hélène Gelèns

(Bergschenhoek, 1967) made her debut in 2006 with the volume of poetry Niet beginnen bij het hoofd (Do Not Start with the Head), but she already had performed since 2000 at several literary festivals. In 2002 she took part in Poetry International in Rotterdam. Gelèns writes comical, graceful poems with serious undertones, with special emphasis on love and language and the writing of poetry itself. Her style is characterised by repetition and rhythm. Gelèns studied astronomy, Dutch, history and philosophy, only to complete the latter. Before her debut she already published poems and essays in literary magazines such as Krakatau and De Tweede Ronde, in anthologies and philosophical publications.