I sat down by the river is a poetic narrative. The protagonist recounts how they withdrew from the current—a metaphor for the modern world—to heal their soul. As they watch swimmers pass by, another character sits beside them and explains that they, too, had to sit by the river before plunging back in.
The project gained a collective dimension through the participation of 64 speakers across 20 languages, who recorded the poem in their respective mother tongues, expanding its reflection into a shared, multilingual experience.
This text speaks to all those facing contemporary challenges such as depression, burnout, and psychological trauma. It invites us to talk about mental health, to share our experiences without shame, and to care for one another. It questions the pace of life and the time needed to fully experience the world around us.
The project is part of the subtheme The Poetics of Care – Intimacy, Tenderness, Repair.
Author
Geneviève Eva Genicot
Geneviève Eva Genicot is a Belgian poet, fiction writer, writing workshop leader, and editor. Exploring the intersection of fiction and poetry, she often writes about cities, modern life, and human connection.
In her poetic tale "Sushi Bar", set in the urban night, she delves into the encounter between Mr. Boss and a depressed man escaping the violence of capitalist flows (Ed. F de Phosphène). In "Quelque chose à méditer", she ironically addresses how easily we succumb to the temptation of accumulating everything, even breath (Papier Machine). She is also the author of several short stories published in "Marginales", including "Les mains d’Enzo," which questions the end of public services through the thwarted vocation of a young physiotherapist.
As a lover of cities and landscapes, she pays tribute to Brussels in the novella "Canicule" (Maelström), recounts her journey to "Blue-eyed Japan" in a series of poems (Voix d’encre), and writes about "Epic Madrid" in an ongoing collection of short poetic prose, some of which have been published in the anthology "La Realidad" (Café Literario Editores) and "The Madrid Review". Other poems have appeared in "Bacchanales", "La Revue des Archers", "Ressacs", and in artist’s books created with Marie Ginet, Chantal Legendre, and Géraldine Dubois.
Geneviève has given poetry readings at festivals in France and Belgium, both solo and alongside other poets. She has participated in poetic collectives such as Ecrits/studio (Lyon, France) and initiated a series of unique poetic evenings ("On se voit très vite") with Samantha Barendson, Fany Buy, Pauline Picot, and guests. She collaborated for several years with the street theatre company Arts Nomades (Lessines, Belgium). She enthusiastically participates in open mics in French, English, and Spanish.
Academic background: Geneviève studied Romance Literature and Political Science at the universities of Louvain, Keele, and Bologna. Her dissertation focused on literary representations of geopolitical identities in 20th-century European novels. She continued with doctoral research at Sciences Po Grenoble and taught in Grenoble and Krakow before dedicating herself to writing, leading writing workshops, and, more recently, fiction editing at Edern Editions.
Youtube Channel: "Geneviève Eva Genicot" https://www.youtube.com/@genevieve.eva.genicot
Website: www.genevievegenicot.blogspot.com
