Johannes Pieter "Jan" Kal (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈjɑn ˈkɑl]; born 1946 in Haarlem) is a Dutch poet.[1] He lives in Amsterdam. Along with others, such as Gerrit Komrij, Jan Kuijper [nl], and Jean Pierre Rawie [nl], he helped revive the sonnetinDutch poetry,[1] and substantially all of Kal's work is in sonnet form.[1] His earliest published work is dated 1966,[2]: 45 and his first volume of sonnets, Fietsen op de Mont Ventoux ("Cycling up Mont Ventoux") was published in 1974.[1] His range of styles and subjects is wide, including love poetry, religious poems, and occasional poetry (notably celebrating sportsmen Ard Schenk,[2]: 293 Joop Zoetemelk,[2]: 492–494 and Johan Cruijff).[2]: 1247 His poetry tends to humorous irony as well as, at times, melancholy.[1] To English-speaking readers who understand a little Dutch, perhaps his most accessible poems are his many sonnet versions of American popular songs, including those of Buddy Holly,[2]: 451–453 Bob Dylan,[2]: 471–479 and his favourite, Frank Sinatra.[2]: 657–806 [3]
In 2007, Kal appeared at the Crossing Border festival of literature and music in The Hague.
There are no translations of Kal's poetry in English yet.
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