Peter Ghyssaert

(Antwerp, 1966) studied history of music, violin and chamber music at the conservatories of Brussels and Antwerp. He works as a musician as well as teaches music. He was also the editor of the anthology Turkooizen scheepje van verschil: twaalf jonge Vlaamse dichters (Turquoise little ship of difference: twelve young Flemish poets, 1997), for which he wrote the introduction. As a poet Ghyssaert made his debut with Honingtuin (Honey garden, 1991). This was followed by Cameo (1993), for which he received the poetry award of the Vlaamse Gids and the Lucy B. and C.W. van der Hoogtprijs. After the volumes Sneeuwboekhouding (Snow bookkeeping, 1995), Jubileum en andere gedichten (Jubilee and other poems, 1997) and De zuigeling van Sint-Petersburg (The infant of St. Petersburg, 2001) Ghyssaert attracted the attention of a somewhat larger audience when Kleine lichamen (Small bodies, 2005) was nominated for both the Herman de Coninck Award and the VSB Poetry Award. With his seventh volume Ezelskaakbeen (Donkey's jawbone, 2011) he is again an aspirant laureate fot the latter prize, according to the jury: 'Ghyssaert dares to stir the emotions, and where it is not intentional, he succeeds in doing so.'

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