Anna T. Szabó

Anna T. Szabó (1972) is a Hungarian poet, prose writer, playwright and translator. In other words: Szabó is a truly versatile author. She writes for both adults and children and of her collections of poems published so far, eight are aimed at adults and six at young readers. Szabó’s poetry is often sensual, almost tactile, it figuratively and literally reaches the bones of readers. This allows Szabó to delve into the human condition and beyond, to bring in plants and animals, from trees in a storm to the potatoes in the pantry. Her own lines perhaps best describe her attitude: „If a poem is a bath – then stepping out, you are stark naked.“ Szabó has also published two collections of short stories and written 12 plays. As a translator, her CV is also awe-inspiring – she has translated literature from English, French, Romanian and Dutch into Hungarian, including works by Sylvia Plath, W. B. Yeats and William Shakespeare. She is an active participant in the literary life of her home country; for example, between 2008 and 2011, she worked as the poetry editor of the literary magazine The Hungarian Quarterly, which promotes Hungarian literature. In addition to all of the above, she also contributes to the cultural life of Hungary with essays, opinion pieces and reviews. In the context of our festival, it is worth remembering that Szabó is an esteemed performer – she often uses various musicians, both jazz and classical music.