Der durstige Pegasus - Lesebühne

In the organizer's words:

Come on, Eileen - is the motto of the reading stage in May 2025!

As Eileen Mätzold, the host of the reading stage, has a birthday in May, she has taken inspiration from her namesake!

Eileen Mägel will kick off the double reading. She grew up in Dresden and has worked as an editor, presenter and press officer. She recently published her poetry collection In die Binsen gehen with the Dresden literary publisher THELEM. She writes about her work:

"Nobody wants poetry and nobody reads it. I've heard that over and over again. And I thought it was a bit like the newspaper with the four letters. But it's still the market leader. Fifty pages of poetry. Thoughts, reflections, experiences and feelings. Memories put into words and onto paper. A game with the images in every reader's head. Occasionally with a surprising twist. Nothing is sacred to the language. It refrains from being overly descriptive and in many places recalls grandmother's truisms. Poetry is the ideal form, as if some thoughts just had to be brought to a quick conclusion. I have found my language in poetry. The claim: to be completely with myself, not to conceal painful memories. And yet what I write remains fiction. Any resemblance to living or real people is of course purely coincidental. Or perhaps this is exactly how it was intended. Enjoy yourselves! They are poems!"

Eileen Mätzold, who would have loved to grow up in a big city, can only agree with this. In order to finally get a taste of the city air, she set off for Berlin and Leipzig at the age of just 18, with joy and success. Her most recent book of poetry, Reflexe um drei Uhr morgens, was also published by THELEM in the ff (fortfolgendes) series.

In this volume, she describes in three parts the development of an ego that experiences, forgives and dissolves what once defined it:

"My soul hangs
on a thin branch
I am afraid
it could break."

When she is not debating Knausgård over coffee and cake with her publisher Viktor Hoffmann and Eileen Mägel, she moderates the traditional reading stage Der durstige Pegasus, writes with incredibly beautiful writing instruments or makes lovingly designed cards for lovers.

Der durstige Pegasus is the oldest continuous literary series in Europe

It has been held monthly at the Moritzbastei in Leipzig since 1976. It was first conceived by Jochen Wisotzki (who later made the film "Flüstern & Schreien"). The event is hosted by author Eileen Mätzold, who has been making Germany's stages unsafe for over 10 years. Her book "Reflexe um drei Uhr morgens" was published by THELEM (Lyrik) in October 2024.

As always, admission is free and arriving in good time ensures the best seats! Start of the event: 19:00. Admission from 18:30. Until then: stay curious and above all: stay literary.

Links for reading:

From Eileen Mägel:
https://www.thelem.de/.../86554-m%C3%A4gel-in-die-binsen.../

From the moderator:
https://www.thelem.de/.../m%C3%A4tzold-reflexe-um-drei.../