On September 20, 2008, a light artwork was unveiled by Carlos Gonçalves, chairman of the former Delfshaven district council. Since then, a line of poetry by Gerrit Kouwenaar has adorned the facade of the public library in neon. The artwork was part of the "Mathenesserkwartier" lighting plan, which the CBK Rotterdam commissioned from artist Toni Burgering. The plan was to illuminate the entire neighborhood with artwork and neon stripes. The CBK collaborated with several artists to carry this out. Previously, artists and shopkeepers had designed light boxes for shops on Grote Visserijstraat, and Mathenesserweg was adorned with a neon light line, also an idea by Burgering. The line of poetry Who wants to know more must eat words comes from the collection “A smell of burnt feathers” (1991) by Kouwenaar. The whole poem reads:
“Anyone who wants to know more must eat words
After his word had unlocked the dream, he made the cupboard with the secret drawer
After the flesh weaned him, he confessed to the continuity of matter
After the page was written empty the lethe evaporated, whoever wants to know more must eat words ”
The Lethe from Greek mythology is a river in the underworld, from which the dead drink to forget their earthly life. During the unveiling, poetry waiters walked around reciting poems of their choice. The line of poetry was turned on shortly after sunset and Toni Burgering recited the entire poem by Gerrit Kouwenaar.
