Klavs Bondebjerg (Denmark) 1953-2004

Born in Ålborg, Denmark in July 1953, Kavs Bondebjerg studied in Roskilde and Copenhagen’s University. He wrote for many years before his first poetry publication in 1982, Uroligheder (Unrest). His first five collections of generally untitled poems centered on the theme of love and explored a language of dual meanings that represented the multifaceted nature of love, employing both a highly poeticized language interspersed often coarsely sexual verbs and adjectives.

     Travel also appears as a major theme in his work, particularly in his later poetry. Bondebjerg traveled extensively in Morocco, Tunisia, Eygpt, Turkey, Lebanon and Jordon, and published a travel journal, Den anden luft: Rejsenotater from Nordafrika or Mellemøsten of his stays in those countries. His poetry, indeed, has often been compared to Turkish poets such as Fazil Hüsnü Daglarca and Melih Cevdet Andey. He also edited the literary magazine, Skanderborg Station and worked as a radio producer.

     Bondebjerg died in 2004.

For a poem by Bondebjerg, go here: