Nominated for the Critics’ Prize 2021

Touch Jesus is a work of poetry, inspired by Salve Mundi Salutare by Arnulf van Leuven (ca. 1200-1250), later set to music and reworked by Dietrich Buxtehude (ca. 1637-1707) under the name Membra Jesu Nostri.

In the book’s first part, “Touch Jesus”, the intimate meeting with the body of the tortured god is transformed to song, history, critique, surrender, presence and love. The second part, “Touch the Word”, deals with the attempt to make an old message new, and what that takes: accusation, upheaval, change of perspective. The third part, “Touch the Earth”, is a reportage, an attempt to be right in the middle of the overwhelming.

Touch Jesus is poetry that investigates the conditions for something internal to become external, for idea, potential, faith and hope to become body, gift, meeting and usefulness. The book is published in bilingual edition, where the English version is translated by Gabriel Gudding.