The Dying Peasant

In this philosophical 1918 novella by Flemish poet van de Woestijne, a dying peasant is visited by his five senses in the anthropomorphic guises of women he knew in the past. Nand lies alone, recalling his family and his life, and begins to feel discontent with his approaching death. When he laments that he will never get what he wants, his eyes appear to him as a young woman and remind him of everything he has seen, along with the memory of his contentment with the beauty of his farmland, his wife, and his family. As each subsequent woman speaks, the years of Nand’s life return to him, filled with bright colors, shimmering birdsong, and brash, cold winds. While Vincent’s translation starts out somewhat clunky in the opening expository moments, the language used by the five senses redeems him with its lushness and clarity; those familiar with van de Woestijne will recognize the same stark, vividly real imagery that he employs in his poems. The parochial nature of Nand’s experiences may resonate less with a modern audience, but the question Nand struggles with is universal: what makes a worthwhile life? Van de Woestijne’s tale speaks to the common humanity of gratitude, humility, and awe as Nand is shown by his senses that even the simplest life is worth cherishing. (Sept.)