‘Understanding is a concept we cannot understand'. On the Bridge between Poetry and Science: Conversations with Leo Vroman and Jan Lauwereyns

Slightly more than half a century: that is the gap that separates Dutchman Leo Vroman and the Fleming Jan Lauwereyns. In other respects, the two gentlemen have a great deal in common: both are poets, both are also scientists, and both live at least one ocean away from the country of their birth. This article is the product of a double interview about living in another linguistic area, about art and science and how to reconcile them, and about the commitment and motivations of scientists and writers.