Leen Raats lives in Belgium. Her native language is Dutch. She is a freelance copywriter, specializing in nature, landscapes, and history. She has published several books in Dutch and has won writing contests in Belgium and the Netherlands. She translates her own poems and stories and publishes them in magazines around the world. So far, she’s covered Europe, North America, South America, Afrika, and Asia.
Leen is obsessed with rock music, finding inspiration in even the heaviest of riffs and the loudest of screams. Ever since the day (sometime in the early 90s) she first put a poem on paper, her life has had a clear purpose: making this world just a little more beautiful through writing.
You can also follow me on Instagram:
You speak Dutch? So do I. 🙂 Check out my Dutch site at www.leenraats.com where you find more poetry, prose – and you can buy my latest books.
You like my poetry? I have a poetry collection coming up at The Poetry Lighthouse: Driftwood/Drijfhout, with every poem in both English and Dutch. If you want to receive an email when the book is published, just drop me a message below and I’ll be sure to let you know!
What’s new?
- Hunger is precious in Root Quarterly
- My poem Asphalt in The Poetry Lighthouse – Volume IV
- Ripple
- Asphalt shortlisted on the Poetry Lighthouse Prize
Where I got published (in English):
EXPECTED
- Drijfhout/Driftwood (bilingual poetry collection), The Poetry Lighthouse (UK)
- Daughters of Hecate (poem) in The Women Writers Anthology by 1455 Books (USA)
- Stranded and Slender (poems) in 34 Orchard (USA) in 2027
- Indian Summer (poem) in The Rome Review (Italy)
2026
- Hunger is precious (story) in Root Quarterly (USA)
- Ripple (poem) on the short list of the DarkWinter Lit 4th anniversary contest (Canada)
- When the levee breaks (poem) in Amsterdam Quarterly (the Netherlands)
- Cambium (poem) in Belladonna’s Garden Lit Mag (USA)
- Asphalt (poem) on the short list of The Poetry Lighthouse Prize (UK)
- Asphalt (poem) in the anthology Volume IV van The Poetry Lighthouse (UK)
“As always, your writing is elegant and flows like a quiet river in a colorful forest; “Flock” is a beautiful piece of work.”
– Kristi Petersen Schoonover, Founding Editor of 34 Orchard
2025
- Silent Night (story) – Libretto Magazine (Nigeria)
- Three poems in ONE ART (USA)
- Trees die standing (story) – INTERWEAVED (Trinidad and Tobago)
- What the universe wanted (poem) – The Pointed Circle (USA)
- Fatherland (poem) – the special Homeland-issue of Livina Press (USA)
- Asphalt (poem) – The Poetry Lighthouse (UK)
- Flock (story) – Darkness most fowl , an anthology by 34 Orchard and The Godmother of Horror Press (USA)
- Things I fight en Segments (poetry) in DarkWinter Literary Magazine (Canada)
“Amid so many wonderful voices, your work stood out to our editors for its compelling imagery, emotional depth, and skillful craftsmanship—which aligns beautifully with the spirit of our literary style.”
– The editors of The Poetry Lighthouse
2024
- #Prague (poem) – Descant (USA) + nomination for the Pushcart Prize 2024
- Trutnov (story) – Not one of us (USA)
- Chronic (poem) – Pleiades (USA)
- Room to breathe (poem) – Crannóg (Ireland)
- You shouldn’t move an old tree (story) – Rathalla Review (USA)
- Loam (poem) – The Greyhound Journal (Hong Kong)
- Beyond these mountains / What I want to tell my inner child / Signs of life (3 poems) – WriteNow (Nigeria)
- Aorta (poem) in (W)holes, an anthology by The Heartland Society of Women Writers (USA)
“We admired the historical voice speaking through your poem Loam and found its structure to be sophisticated and genuine.”
– The editors of The Greyhound Review (Hong Kong)
2023
- The Solitary Man (short story) – 34 Orchard (USA)
- Memory of an Attic Room (poem) – ONE ART (USA)
“It’s the haunting mood of The Solitary Man that absolutely brought me to my knees and sent a chill up my spine, but this story offers so much more than that.”
– Kristi Petersen Schoonover, Founding Editor of 34 Orchard
