The Dutch Foundation for Literature is pleased to welcome poet Paul Tran (United States, 1992) as writer-in-residence in Amsterdam. Tran will be staying from June 1st to 22nd, 2023, upon invitation by the Dutch Foundation for Literature and Poetry International, where they will be performing at the annual poetry festival.
With their debut poetry collection, All the Flowers Kneeling (2022, Penguin), Paul Tran made a lasting impression on the American poetry scene. The collection, which explores intergenerational trauma, abuse, and American imperialism, received critical acclaim. Tran has been a beloved poetry slam artist for over a decade, captivating audiences with their powerful performances. Their work has been published in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Best American Poetry. Tran has been honored with the Discovery/Boston Review Poetry Prize and has joined fellowships from the Poetry Foundation and Stanford University. In addition to their work as a poet, Tran teaches English and Asian-American studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
During their residency, alongside their performances at Poetry International, Tran will be working on their second poetry collection. This collection delves into the concept of being given a second chance, drawing inspiration from their mother, who arrived in the United States as a Vietnamese refugee in 1989, as well as from their own experience of coming out as queer and transgender. Tran explores extraordinary choices made by ordinary people in this collection. They will use their experience in this new environment in the Netherlands as a way of understanding what it means to start anew, echoing their mother’s resettlement in California.
Performances
All performances will be in English.
- Friday, June 9: Festival opening and A Poem in the Dark at Poetry International
- Saturday, June 10: Lecture with Simone Atangana Bekono at Poetry International
More information
Read more about the Amsterdam writers residence of the Dutch Foundation for Literature.