Simon Vinkenoog

(Amsterdam, 1928 - 2009) as a result of an internet poll was choosen in 2004 as the second Poet Laureate of the Netherlands. In 1951 Vinkenoog was the compiler of the controversial anthology Atonaal (Atonal). This anthology was the beginning of the Vijftigers, a group of avant garde poets that opposed the literary traditions. In 1966 he was the driving force behind Poëzie in Carré, the first extensive poetry festival in the Netherlands that attracted an audience of about two thousand people. His later work includedVreugdevuur (Bonfire) (1998), a collection of his poems published for the occasion of his seventieth birthday, and De ware Adam, gedichten rond de eeuwwisseling (The true Adam, poems around the change of the century) (2000). Vinkenoog was an enthousiastic promotor of poetry in general and was especially enthousiastic about reciting poetry. His experiences of recitals formed the base of his collection of stories entitled Goede raad is vuur (Good advice is like fire) (2004).