In the organizer's words:

What connects poetry and magic? What happens when words begin to work? Poetry arises when we turn towards each other and the world, when we pay attention. Magic means opening up to transformation, vulnerability, the unprecedented. How the international authors of Poetica find lyrical ways of togetherness in the talisman under the pillow, in the butterfly mist and in children's languages - that is what we will discover on this evening.

To kick off Poetica 11, the authors will explore the magical potential of poetic language in a reading and discussion with curator Rike Scheffler. Inspired by the Jamaican author and philosopher Sylvia Wynter and her idea of the "re-enchantment of humanism", the evening will showcase a poetry that dreams a new humanity beyond violent orders - more tender, more diverse and in deep connection with all living things. The evening will open with words of welcome from the Rector of the University of Cologne, Prof. Dr. Joybrato Mukherjee, and the Director of Poetica, Uljana Wolf.

With Asmaa Azaizeh, Alhierd Bacharevič, Natalie Diaz, Haytham El-Wardany, Angélica Freitas, Sarah Howe, Sofia Jernberg, Ursula Krechel, Mélissa Laveaux, Mette Moestrup, Daniela Seel.

The German translations will be read by Lavinia Nowak and Hasti Molavian.

The event will be held in German and English with simultaneous interpretation (German ↔ English).

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Free admission.