Fragile Balance

Fragile Balance is a book that presents itself to the reader without fanfare, with the calmness of someone who has learned to listen beyond the noise and bustle of the world. In these short poems, Germain Droogenbroodt continues a quest that runs through much of his work: that of articulating the essential with just the right words, without excess, without ostentation. The title is no accident. In each text, there is a contained tension between what is said and what is suggested, between light and shadow, between language and silence. It is a delicate balance, like that needed to live with depth at a time in history that is changing far too quickly.

The voice that unfolds here does not seek to impose meanings, but rather to create space for the reader to think, feel, and contemplate. The poems some verging on aphorisms, others more evocative or lyrical are organized as a sequence of meditations that engage with philosophy, politics, the passage of time, the fragility of the human condition and its transcendence.