Am November 2023 sinn ech eng éischte Kéier mam Robbie Martzen sengem Wierk a Kontakt komm. "Word in Progress" sou heescht e Format bei deem Schrëftsteller aus hiren nach onverëffentlechte Wierker virliesen a sech doriwwer mam Public op der Plaz austauschen. Deemools, an der Kaffisstuff op de Walfer Bicherdeeg, huet de Robbie Martzen Geschichte virgelies, déi spéider ënnert dem Titel "A Pint of Fish Fingers - Tales of a Wonderer" beim Verlag Black Fountain Press sollten erauskommen. Humor, Authentizitéit an en onbestiechleche Bléck fir d'Stäerkten an d'Schwächte vun de Mënschen, deenen hien op senge Reese begéint ass, sou kéint een dëst (momentan leider vergraffent) Wierk an e puer Stéchwierder beschreiwen.
E puer Méint méi spéit hat ech dann d'Geleeënheet en Interview iwwer säin neit Buch mat him ze féieren, an ech hunn hien als sympatheschen, éierlechen an enorm talentéierte Mënsch kennegeléiert. Nodeems e mir verroden hat, dass hien nach eng ganz Rëtsch Rees-Erzielungen am Tirang leien hätt, hat ech gehofft, dass iergend eng Kéier en zweete Band géif erauskommen. Säin Häerzensprojet war et awer, e Gedichtband erauszebréngen. E Wonsch deen elo mat "Blueprint" an Erfëllung gaangen ass, hie selwer konnt et awer leider net méi materliewen.
Déi 51 Gedichter déi an dësem Band zesummekommen, sinn iwwert e laangen Zäitraum entstanen, och wa si meeschtens net datéiert sinn. Eng Ausnam ass "Night Swimming" dat an der Nuecht vum 7. August 2017 entstanen ass, déi Nuecht an där d'Lëtzebuerger Sportlerin Paule Kremer duerch den Äermelkanal geschwommen ass.
Grad wéi a senge Prosa-Texter beandrockt de Robbie Martzen och a senge Gedichter duerch seng Léift zum Detail an déi grouss Bandbreet vun den Themen déi hie behandelt. Wéi gesäit, wéi versteet de Betruechter e Bild? Dat ass eng Fro déi den Auteur sech an "Vincent's View" iwwert dem Van Gogh säin Tableau "Pont de Langlois" stellt.
Ganz perséinlech ass "The Cowards", e Gedicht dat e fir säi Grousspapp Felix Martzen geschriwwen huet, deen am Januar 1945 vun den Nazien erschoss gouf.
Ënnert der Iwwerschrëft "Marooned" setzt de Robbie Martzen sech ënner anerem mat senger Krankheet auserneen. Et ass schwéier, sech virzestellen, wéi vill Courage en dofir huet missten opbréngen.
De Liichttuerm um Buchcover ass en Indiz dofir, dass näischt am Robbie Martzen senger Poesie statesch ass. Hie schreift iwwer en Opbroch, eng Rees, de permanenten Neiufank, deen och an den däischterste Momenter eng Grëtz Optimismus séint. Net fir näischt ass eng vun den Definitiounen vum Wuert "Blueprint" déi heiten: "2. a plan which shows what can be achieved and how it can be achieved" (Oxford Learner's Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 2024)
E Liblingszitat aus "Blueprint"? Fir mech wier et dat heiten aus dem leschte Gedicht mam Titel "Coffee Shop": "This morning/ I ordered a cup of sunshine/ it came with some rain/ but for once I decided/ not to complain."
Weider Detailer am Pressetext vu Michikusa Publishing:
About the book
The poetry collection Blueprint follows the author’s attempt to make sense of his life, both in the grander scheme of things, but also on a more personal level. It deals with the challenges of what it means to be alive in this day and age, from environmental and existential fears to our more individual, inner turmoil, but also leaves space for the occasional silver lining. The poems in this collection have been written over the course of several decades, which means they describe a past that no longer is, a present that is at best shaky, and a future that can only be unknown. As such, the book is haunted by the echo of the question whether life has a kind of ‘blueprint’, and if yes, does one necessarily have to follow it? Or, as John-Paul Gomez writes in his foreword: ‘Perhaps there is no blueprint for anyone, only a vestige, a whisper urging us to move. This absence is not lack; it’s liberation.’
About the author
Robbie Martzen was born in Luxembourg in 1969. He has a BA in Translation Studies and an MA in Modern Languages and Literature. He has published the travelogue A Pint of Fish Fingers with Black Fountain Press (2024), as well as poems and short stories in anthologies and journals both in Luxembourg and abroad, and has been long- and shortlisted in various competitions, such as the Concours littéraire national in Luxembourg (shortlisted in 1996), the Blue Nose Poet-of-the-Year Competition in London (‘Highly Commended Poet’ in 1999), the Desmond O’Grady International Poetry Competition (‘Highly Commended Poem’ in 2025), and the FF150 Competition by Wildfire Words/Frosted Fire Press (’Highly Commended Flash Fiction 2025’).
Robbie is an active member of the Associatioun: Lëtzebuerger Literatur (A:LL). Some of his writing can be found at www.blackfountain.lu, cahiersluxembourgeois.lu, and wildfire-words.com. He likes nature, animals, and sometimes people. He also enjoys writing about all of the above.
About the publisher
Michikusa Publishing Luxembourg is an independent publisher in the field of poetry. Michikusa (道草) is a Japanese term meaning ‘grass on the sideway’ and is part of a Japanese expression meaning ‘to lose time along the way’. We believe that reading and publishing poetry in our fast-paced world is a beautiful way to spend time and we hope many will meet us on this journey.
Michikusa Publishing has released nine books so far, featuring voices as different as those from celebrated Italian authors Tiziano Fratus and Davide S. Sapienza, French poetess Lætitia Klotz and Luxembourgish authors Robert Weis, Bernd Marcel Gonner and Florent Toniello. The publishing house has also released Wat baussen a wat bannen, a Luxembourgish translation of the only poetry collection by the acclaimed Swiss travel writer Nicolas Bouvier. Hraun, by Florent Toniello, was shortlisted for the Lëtzebuerger Buchpräis in 2025.
Blueprint
Robbie Martzen
Verlag: Michikusa Publishing
Sprooch: Englesch
ISBN 978-99987-957-8-5
15€
Interview mam Robbie Martzen vum Abrëll 2024:
https://www.rtl.lu/kultur/bicher/a-pint-of-fish-fingers-tales-of-a-wonderer-vum-robbie-martzen-2184018
