A child's eye

HC ten Berge

After his oeuvre was awarded the PC Hooft Prize 2006, HC ten Berge wrote a second oeuvre, consisting of five collections of poetry, several prose works, poetry translations, literary essays and 'field notes' on numerous subjects. A child's eye is now added, narrative poems based on memories of the 1940s. The autobiographical nature of this poetry occupies an exceptional place within his work. Reality and imagination meet in sharply drawn scenes that cover the sparse, often gray and narrow period from 1944 to 1949. The last year of the war, followed by the harsh regime at the primary school, the fears, the ignorance, the changing events at home or elsewhere evoke a past, but recognizable world in which the young schoolchild may end up in threatening situations, but also find happiness and security in 'the real world' of children's adventure books. Where he wards off reality, imagination seizes its chance as a refuge.