Poet Aleksandrs Barons wins Poetry Days award for debut collection

At this year's Poetry Days celebration on September 12, the debut poetry collection Vientulības labirints (Labyrinth of Loneliness) by 29-year-old Aleksandrs Barons was named the best original poetry work.

Poet and literary critic Ivars Šteinbergs described the collection as a tribute to sensitive, intellectually inclined young Latvians approaching their thirties. He noted the book also holds interest for readers curious about how irony and magical realism appear in contemporary poetry, as well as for those wanting insight into how younger writers approach their craft.

Mixed feelings about the honor

The author himself responds to the award with some reserve. He says it is gratifying that people read and appreciate his work, but admits the recognition somewhat interferes with what he describes as his fluid sense of identity.

By training, Barons is a playwright, and poetry is not his only creative pursuit. He is currently working with director Gatis Šmits on a production of Sherlock Holmes at the Daile Theatre, set to premiere in April.

Barons also has a family connection to one of Latvia's most celebrated cultural figures, folklorist Krišjānis Barons — he describes himself as a descendant through the line of Krišjānis's brother, Ansis.