Guiding Voices is Rotterdam\u2019s platform for in-depth interviews with (inter)national writers. With care and attention, authors are asked about their craft, recurring themes, and their most recent work. The program provides a stage for engaged voices reflecting on today\u2019s world. Guiding Voices takes place annually as part of the Poetry International Festival. This year, American poet Aracelis Girmay is the guest of honor. Moderator Ernest van der Kwast introduces the audience to her vivid and moving work and engages her in a conversation about her poetry and her perspective on the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"event_date":"2026-06-06","footnotes":""},"venue":[265],"event_type":[105],"route":[],"class_list":["post-669","event","type-event","status-publish","hentry","venue-lantarenvenster-1","event_type-program"],"acf":{"event_location":265,"event_location_source":{"label":"Locatie","type":"taxonomy","formatted_value":265},"event_category":[105],"event_category_source":{"label":"Categorie","type":"taxonomy","formatted_value":[105]},"language":["english"],"language_source":{"label":"Voertaal","type":"select","formatted_value":[{"value":"english","label":"Engels"}]},"spoken_languages":"English","spoken_languages_source":{"label":"Gesproken talen","type":"text","formatted_value":"English"},"language_label":"spoken","language_label_source":{"label":"Label","type":"select","formatted_value":"Gesproken talen"},"subtitles":[],"subtitles_source":{"label":"Boventiteling","type":"select","formatted_value":[]},"has_interpreter":false,"has_interpreter_source":{"label":"Tolk NGT\/Schrijftolk","type":"true_false","formatted_value":false},"poets":[171],"poets_source":{"label":"Dichters","type":"relationship","formatted_value":[{"ID":171,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2026-02-19 16:38:30","post_date_gmt":"2026-02-19 15:38:30","post_content":"\n
Aracelis Girmay (1977, USA) is probably your favorite poet\u2019s favorite poet. She is one of the most influential contemporary poets in the United States. Girmay takes you by the hand and zooms in all the way to the level of water being pulled up through roots, or else directs your gaze to what we so often look away from: violence, war, abuse, genocide. Always in a clear tone, with a singular kind of optimism and a love for people and for the world we somehow have to share.\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How you might know this poet<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n