Searching for the soul of the city
CityPoem 91 - Utrecht (2)
By Paul Wilhelmus
01-09-2008 /views: 1191 in past 12 months.
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In a small street just outside the old city center of Utrecht, The Netherlands, this short inspiring poem recreates the feeling of wondering the streets on a warm spring day.

 

Utrecht CityPoem Zijschrift

Photos: Eric van de Giessen

Poem by Virginie Driesen:

een straat
in de zon
en vanuit een open raam
je lievelingsmuziek 

Translation

a street

in the sunshine

and from an open window

your favourite music

In 2001 a collective of female literature admirers (Zijschrift) got the idea of painting poems on Utrechts walls. Their wish was granted on two projects by the local government. Problems occured when the neighbours, who were not informed, saw their new living environment.  This resulted in several formal complaints, but the poetry survived.

 This CityPoem can be found here (GoogleMaps) 

 Utrecht CityPoem Zijschrift

See also

Utrecht CityPoem 2.

Inspiring Cities Museum of CityPoems

Inspiring Cities CityPoemsInspiring Cities has collected many citypoems over the years, as well as organized salons with citypoets and cities doing special projects. We have two criteria for what a citypoem is: the intention must be poetic, and it must be in the public realm of cities. Shapes, form and locations can and do differ.

The Museum of CityPoems has citypoems from cities all over the world. From Alhambra to Zonnebeke, from Taipei to Lima.

Got one yourself? Mail us your pictures (free of rights) and description, and we will publish.

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