MUSIC FROM THE FOREST I DIED IN, DISTANT DRUMS OF SILENCE – Fred Van Oystaeyen

Music From the Forest I Died in, Distant Drums of Silence is a collection of poems in which thoughts, emotions and reflections are interwoven, in a whirlwind of words and verses that captivate the reader, accompanying and inviting him to personal reflection. The collection is divided into two parts, the first more traditional in its structure, while the second is bolder both in its organisation and in the way the poet approaches the themes.
The entire collection, in any case, vibrates to the sound of the verses that compose it, which somehow, although dealing with different themes, seem to be held together by a single thread: what makes us human, that is, man’s ability to adapt to life, its changes and challenges, without ever losing hope.

Fred Van Oystaeyen is a prolific mathematician, having published over three hundred scientific papers and fifty books, monographs and congress proceedings; he also authored a novel “Irritation of the Eye in Darkness” and the science-philosophy book “Time Hybrids.” As a child, he initiated the practice of writing short stories and poems, frequently incorporating a humorous element or a philosophical concept. Later in life, he elevated this pastime to a more serious level, occasionally sharing his work on social media, but refraining from seeking publication. He received several awards in mathematics, including honorary professor in Beijing, doctor honoris causa in Almeria (Spain), and the Free University of Brussels (Belgium).
As a mathematical poet, he aims to write poetry with some fundamental humanistic meaning, creating hidden order in chaotic emotions and erratic processes in Life which flow into a vast delta of death… but with some joy and fun.