Kārlis Vērdiņš (1979) is a Latvian poet, literary theoretician, author of research papers, monographs, and six collections of poetry, as well as an editor of various publications. Most of his poems are addressed to adult readers, but he has also written two collections of poems for children – Alphabet Soup (2007), and Dad/ Tētis (2016). Vērdiņš has pursued a successful academic path, has a Ph.D. in Philology from University of Latvia (2009), and is known for his well-balanced reviews, his research on the prose-poem sub-genre and other subjects in Latvian literary culture (The Social and Political Dimensions of the Latvian Prose Poem, 2010). Vērdiņš is among the Latvian poets most often seen on international literary platforms, he is involved in music projects, and his contribution to art is not limited to Latvian language – he translates English and American modernists, has translated several works from Russian, including poems of the well-known creative collective Orbita. His own poems have been included in various collections in English, as well as been translated into Lithuanian, Swedish, Czech, Polish, Slovenian, Basque, and other languages. One of his most touching poems Come to Me was listed by the experts at the Southbank Centre among 50 greatest modern love poems of our day. Kārlis Vērdiņš' poetry can be viewed to be gentle, vivid and intimate; it often reveals uncomfortable truths in a piercing, playful, highly relatable way. Among his subjects is love, sex, coming to terms with one's self, all of which he talks about with a great deal of compassion, wit, and sense of irony. Poet and critic Gregory Woods has commented that "his first person is singularly hard to pin down, apparently detached while involved, precise while vague, inventing stuff while accurately recording memory". Vērdiņš has been called “the most honest Latvian poet of his generation” by his peers.
Poetry
Dilles tante [Aunt Dill]. Riga: Liels un mazs, 2018.
Tētis [Dad, poems for children]. Reiņa Pētersona ilustrācijas. Rīga: Liels un mazs, 2016.
Pieaugušie [Adults]. Rīga: Neputns, 2015.
Mēs [Us]. Rīga: Mansards, 2012.
Ledlauži [Icebreakers]. Rīga: Nordik, 2001; Rīga: Mansards, 2009.
Es [Me, collected poems]. Rīga: Neputns, 2008.
Burtiņu zupa [Alphabet Soup, poems for children]. Illustrated by Otto Zitmanis. Rīga: Liels un mazs, 2007.
Biezpiens ar krējumu [Cottage Cheese with Sour Cream]. Rīga: Atēna, 2004.
In other languages
Papás. Granada: Esdrújula Ediciones, 2017.
Come to Me. Todmorden: Arc Publications, 2015.
Ja. Prague: Dauphin, 2013.
Niosłem ci kanapeczkę. Vroclava: Biuro Literacke, 2009.
Титры. Maskava/Tvera: Argo-Risk/Kolonna, 2003.
Books to fall for

Daddy
Daddy (Tētis)
Kārlis Vērdiņš can sound both ironic and loving when he writes about a family’s everyday life and he will definitely make people of all ages laugh. The main character of this poetry collection is Daddy, but which Daddy is it? The one who stays at home with his son while mom is out at work, or the aggressive driver? Vērdiņš challenges his readers to rethink traditional social roles.
Contacts: pasts@lielsmazs.lv
K.Verdins_Daddy_Poems_for_children_ENG.pdf

Title
:Daddy
Title*
:Tētis
Authors
:Genre
:Publisher
:Rīga, Liels un mazs
Pages
:64
Year
:2016
Foreign rights
:Rights sold to Spanish
Kārlis Vērdiņš profile // Speaking Volumes. Live Literature Productions [EN]
SJ Fowler, maintenant #76 – kārlis vērdiņš, interview with Kārlis Vērdiņš // 3:AM Magazine [EN]
Fifty greatest modern love poems list embraces 30 different countries // The Guardian, 2014 [EN]
Reviews
Undīne Adamaite, Dzejoļi visiem zobiem, review of Dad // Diena, 2016 [LV]
Aivars Madris, Tēta azotē, review of Dad // Internet magazine Satori.lv, 2016 [LV]
Dainis Deigelis, Literāri anatomiski tēta (iz)meklējumi, review of Dad // Ubisunt, University of Latvia, 2016 [LV]
Artis Ostups, Dzeja pieaugušo dzīves pabērniem, review of Adults // Diena, 2015 [LV]
Anna Auziņa, Mīlēta varoņa skumjas, review of Adults // Internet magazine Satori.lv, 2015 [LV]
Anda Baklāne, Jēga, kura nepārklāj visu vienlīdz biezi: kāpēc Kārļa Vērdiņa dzejas krājumi pagaidām nekļūst sliktāki, review of Adults // Internet magazine Punctum, 2015 [LV]
Helen Mort, ‘the terrible’ by Daniel Sluman, ‘Come to Me’ by Karlis Vērdiņš and ‘A Formula for Night’ by Tamar Yoseloff // The Compass magazine [EN]
Anna Auziņa, Meklējot Kārļa Vērdiņa iekšējos orgānus, review of Me // Iternet magazine Satori.lv, 2008 [LV]
2018, IBBY Honour List 2018, for Dad
2017, International Baltic Sea Region Jānis Baltvilks Prize as best collection of children's poems for Dad
2017, Dad Included in the White Ravens 2017 Best Children's Literature Catalog
2015, the Annual Latvian Literature Award for best poetry collection, for Adults
2014, poem "Come to Me" included in the selection of 50 greatest modern love poems by the London's Southbank Centre
2008, Poetry Days Festival Award as the best collection of poems, for Me
2007, the Annual Latvian Literature Award for Best Translation for Best Poetry Collection for Children, for Alphabet Soup
2001, The Diena Newspaper Award in Culture, for debut collection Icebreakers

Come to me
Come to me (Izlase)

Title
: Come to meTitle*
: IzlaseAuthors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Poetry
Language
:English
Publisher
:Arc Publications, UK
Pages
:106
Year
:2015
Copyrights
:Kārlis Vērdiņš
Synopsis
:Poetry collection in English of Latvian poet Kārlis Vērdiņš.

Papás
Papás (Tētis)

Title
: PapásTitle*
: TētisAuthors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Children`s Book
Language
:Spanish
Publisher
:Esdrujula ediciones, Spain
Pages
:61
Year
:2017
Copyrights
:The author, the illustrator, the translator, the publisher;
Synopsis
:The author can sound both ironic and loving when he writes about a family's everyday life and he will definitely make people of all ages laugh.

Modern Poetry in Translation. No.1,2018
Modern Poetry in Translation. No.1,2018 (Mūsdienu dzeja tulkojumā. No.1,2018)

Title
: Modern Poetry in Translation. No.1,2018Title*
: Mūsdienu dzeja tulkojumā. No.1,2018Authors
:Translated by
:Genre
:Anthology
Language
:English
Publisher
:Modern Poetry in Translation, UK
Pages
:122
Year
:2018
Copyrights
:The contributors;
Synopsis
:Three poems by Latvian poet Kārlis Vērdiņš translated into English by Ieva Lešinska.

Six Latvian Poets
Six Latvian Poets (Izlase)

Title
: Six Latvian PoetsTitle*
: IzlaseAuthors
: , , , ,Translated by
:Genre
:Anthology
Language
:English
Publisher
:Arc Publications, United Kingdom
Pages
:174
Year
:2011
Copyrights
:Authors
Synopsis
:An anthology in English of six contemporary Latvian poets.

Small is my land. Poetry and prose from Latvia
Small is my land. Poetry and prose from Latvia (Dzeja un proza no Latvijas)

Title
: Small is my land. Poetry and prose from LatviaTitle*
: Dzeja un proza no LatvijasAuthors
: , , , , , , , , , ,Translated by
:Genre
:Anthology
Language
:English
Publisher
:Edinburgh Review, Scotland
Pages
:88
Year
:2005
Copyrights
:Authors
Synopsis
:Poetry and prose collection in English of contemporary Latvian authors.

Werde zum Gespenst
Werde zum Gespenst (Dzejas antoloģija)

Title
: Werde zum GespenstTitle*
: Dzejas antoloģijaTranslated by
: , , , , ,Genre
:Anthology
Language
:German
Publisher
:Wunderhorn, Germany
Pages
:187
Year
:2016
Copyrights
:Authors
Synopsis
:Poetry collection in German of contemporary Latvian poets.

Dzeja. Antologija sodobne latvijske poezije
Dzeja. Antologija sodobne latvijske poezije (Latvijas dzejas antoloģija)

Title
: Dzeja. Antologija sodobne latvijske poezijeTitle*
: Latvijas dzejas antoloģijaAuthors
: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,Translated by
: , , , , , , ,Genre
:Anthology
Language
:Slovenian
Publisher
:Pages
:Year
:2016
Copyrights
:Authors
Synopsis
:Anthology in Slovenian of contemporary Latvian poetry.

Revija malih književnosti. Latvija
Revija malih književnosti. Latvija (Mazo literatūru pārskats. Latvija)

Title
: Revija malih književnosti. LatvijaTitle*
: Mazo literatūru pārskats. LatvijaAuthors
: , , , , , ,Genre
:Anthology
Language
:Croatian
Publisher
:Booksa, Croatia
Pages
:93
Year
:2015
Copyrights
:Authors
Synopsis
:Anthology in Croatian of contemporary Latvian literature.

Kaip visuomet
Kaip visuomet (Pavasaris būs)

Title
: Kaip visuometTitle*
: Pavasaris būsAuthors
: , , , ,Translated by
:Genre
:Anthology
Language
:Lithuanian
Publisher
:Lithuanian Union of Writers, Lithuania
Pages
:208
Year
:2012
Copyrights
:Authors
Synopsis
:Selected poetry of contemporary Latvian authors in Lithuanian.

За нас
За нас (Par mums)

Title
: За насTitle*
: Par mumsAuthors
: , , ,Translated by
:Genre
:Anthology
Language
:Russian
Publisher
:Orbita, Latvia
Pages
:125
Year
:2009
Copyrights
:Authors
Synopsis
:Poetry anthology in Russian of contemporary Latvian poets.

Grand Tour. Reisen durch die junge Lyrik Europas
Grand Tour. Reisen durch die junge Lyrik Europas (Grand Tour. Travel through the young poetry of Europe)

Title
: Grand Tour. Reisen durch die junge Lyrik EuropasTitle*
: Grand Tour. Travel through the young poetry of EuropeAuthors
: , , , , , , , , ,Translated by
: , , , , ,Genre
:Anthology
Language
:German
Publisher
:Carl Hanser Verlag, Germany
Pages
:584
Year
:2019
Copyrights
:The publisher
Synopsis
:Travel through the young poetry of Europe

Иностранная литература 3 (2019)
Иностранная литература 3 (2019) (Ārzemju literatūra)

Title
: Иностранная литература 3 (2019)Title*
: Ārzemju literatūraAuthors
: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,Translated by
: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,Genre
:Anthology
Language
:Russian
Publisher
:Иностранная литература, Russia
Pages
:287
Year
:2019
Synopsis
:Literary magazine on foreign literature

Anthology of Young Latvian Poets
Anthology of Young Latvian Poets (Jauno latviešu dzejnieku antoloģija)

Title
: Anthology of Young Latvian PoetsTitle*
: Jauno latviešu dzejnieku antoloģijaAuthors
: , , , , , , , , , , ,Translated by
:Genre
:Anthology
Language
:Greek
Publisher
:Vakxikon, Greece
Pages
:154
Year
:2019
Copyrights
:The publisher, the translator
Synopsis
:Anthology of young Latvian poets