POETRY

Urs Burki did not just study the key philosophers of the ancient and new worlds — writing was an important means of expression for him from a young age. During his youth, he would often — to the amusement of his teachers and fellow students — write funny sketches that he then performed in lessons for a bit of light relief. His entertaining way of describing people and situations was also very well received among the university student population and at family events. Urs Burki left behind dozens of notebooks containing some of his profound thoughts and reflections in fragmented form about life and death, human suffering, socio-political problems, the meaning of life and the role of art in our society. Moments of doubt and of desperation are also expressed alongside fragments of philosophical observations, sketches of planned works of art, mathematical formulae, quotes by philosophers and writers and sketches of children from Nepal, Morocco, Kazakhstan, etc.

Below is an excerpt of his poetical work.