Born 1982, Alexandra is still a young poet. Being of Dutch origin, English is her second language, but it’s hardly a barrier anymore. Her obsession for the written word started when she was aged 5 and began to read. Sometimes she wrote poems for her family and friends, but her personal poems only started to come in 1996, when she'd just turned 14. She won a poetry contest once and since then, she’s had the strange notion that she actually writes poetry worth reading. Having had several workshops and being stimulated by poets such as W.M. Stoneking and Christina Conrad, she’s finally finding her own voice - in which she’s always growing.

Alexandra's poetry is featured in
a Passage through August's main anthology.

Visit Alexandra Ekkelenkamp
at her website
i d e n t i t y / i d e n t i t e i t.

Alexandra Ekkelenkamp

Mercury

the man is a god
striding
along the edge of sea

precisely
he places
delicate winged feet
on wet sand

around them,
dry sand-circles appear
no water dares touch him

the man is a god
a red sun
rising

in his hand
the walking stick is gold
no woman dares touch him

only pink-fingered aurora
reveals
his body in morning light

© Alexandra Ekkelenkamp 1996-2002

“pictures of you in oil paint and glass”

lips brush
redness
over edge
wine was white
no innocence in alcohol
beds
are easily found
not made
but soft and warm

brush paints
lips in redness
on edges
of smooth-
cloth was white
no innocence in your image
curves and slopes
of pale, sometimes red
captured on the palette  

sounds of shattering glass do not distract the diligent painter.

© 1996-1998 Alexandra Ekkelenkamp