Untitled

Sanneke van Hassel

I am not a woman

I am an animal

look at my ferce grin

stretched out mouth, strong teeth

broad chin

My pointed skull sharp, fostering

wide eyes that gaze and swallow

digest it all

My breasts small, active, vivid

with my long fexible arms

I embrace the womb

I carry

You might think I kneel

one foot forward, toes exploring

but with my other foot I push

using the earth as starting point

I push

launch myself

I take of

and release

inspired by a sculpture by Lotti van der Gaag (1923–1999)

Sanneke van Hassel (Rotterdam 1971) lives and works in Rotterdam. Her literary work is published by De Bezige Bij, Amsterdam. Her debut collection of short stories IJsregen (Ice Rain), published in 2005, was nominated for several literary awards. In 2006 she wrote about every day life in Sarajevo: Pieces of Sarajevo. In 2007 her second collection of short stories titled Witte veder (White Feater) came out. For this book she received the BNG Literary Award. In April 2010 she organised and curated Hotel Van Hassel, an international short story festival in Amsterdam. In 2010 her first novel was pubished: Nest, followed by a third collection of short stories: Ezels (Donkeys) in 2012. Together with Flemish writer Annelies Verbeke she compiled an anthology with short stories from all over the world: Naar de stad, To the City (2012). In 2014 her fourth short story collection came out: Hier blijf ik (Here I'll stay), with 45 stories inspired by photographs from young photographers from Rotterdam. August 2017 her second novel was published, Stille Grond (Silent Ground). Recently she published to highly acclaimed collections of short stories, Nederzettingen (Settlements) in 2019 and Milde klachten (Mild complaints) in 2024. Her latest collection is set during the COVID-19 pandemic.