In 1947, Hanlo’s first poems appeared in the literary magazine Criterium. In the same year he ended up in a psychosis and spent some time in various psychiatric institutions, including the Amsterdam Valerius clinic. In 1952 the word “oote” (“Oote oote oote / Boe” and so on) wrote a commotion: a VVD politician was sent by parliamentary questions. This sound poem with jazz allure (Hanlo himself once made a comparison with ‘child’s speech’) did, however, generate publicity.
In 1958 they had grown with G.A. van Oorschot in Amsterdam. A second, expanded print of this volume appeared in 1970. The tenth edition has now been published (2018).
Few poets can repeat Hanlo like that.
The exhibition “Jan Hanlo hep het gemaakt” can be seen until August 25, 2019, click HERE for more information.
