English

Jeroen Mettes (1978-2006) was one of the most promising Dutch-language poets and critics of his generation. He published his last poems and essays in the literary journals Parmentier (The Netherlands) and yang (Belgium), the predecessor of nY, of which he was one of the editors until his self-chosen death in September 2006.

In 2011, Wereldbibliotheek published two volumes of his most important writings: Weerstandsbeleid. Nieuwe kritieken (blog texts and critical essays), and N30+. Nieuwe zinnen (poetry). Both volumes are published together in the box Nagelaten werk (‘Posthumous Works’), edited by Piet Joostens, Frans-Willem Korsten and Daniël Rovers (Wereldbibliotheek, Amsterdam, 2011).

This website documents the reception of Mettes’ work as a poet, critic and researcher in literary theory. Its editors also invite authors, critics and thinkers to reflect on a number of concepts which played a major role in Mettes’ writings (see Lexicon).

Further reading

• Continent 2.1. (2012) has an English translation by Vincent W.J. van Gerven Oei of Jeroen Mettes’ posthumous text Political Poetry: A Few Notes. Poetics for N30.
• The Poetry of Jeroen Mettes, an essay by poet and composer Samuel Vriezen, along with some excerpts from Mettes’ great poem N30 itself.
• Parts of Jeroen Mettes’ uncompleted PhD The Poetry of the Formless are published here.