I cough a little,

it sounds muffled, like a thump --


on a concrete wall.


Ik hoest in de lift,Stille, ich huste,
het klinkt gedempt, als een bons --es klingt gedämpft, wie ein Bums --
op een stuk beton.auf ein Stück Beton.

Poem H5342
Amsterdam, 2025-03-25
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (Haruki Murakami) - 1985
Novel "Sekai no owari to Hado-boirudo Wandarando" translation 1991), chapter 1, 'Elevator, silence, overweight'
Collection: Within the walls
Tribute to: Murakami, Haruki 
 

Why is my neighbour

driving here and who's getting --


into her car there?


Wat rijdt mijn buurvrouwWarum fährt die Nach-
hier op en neer en wie stapt --barin hin und her und wer --
daar in haar auto?steigt in ihr Auto?

Poem H5265
Amsterdam, 2025-02-20
Under the bushel (Maarten 't Hart) - 1991
Novel "Onder de korenmaat", chapter 7
Collection: The Note Tree
Tribute to: T Hart, Maarten 
 

First the door lets in

street noise, then a thunderstorm --


Radio crackles.


Eerst waait de deur stads-Erst lässt die Tür Stadt-
rumoer binnen, dan onweer --lärm herein, dann Gedonner --
De radio ruist.Die Radio rauscht.

Poem H5176
Amsterdam, 2025-01-19
From the seven days (Karlheinz Stockhausen) - 1968
Improvisation-composition "Aus den sieben Tagen" - 15 Textkompositionen für Intuitive Musik (15 text compositions for Intuitive Music), for ensemble; selection of 160 minutes, performed by Robin Rimbaud (electronics), Jakob Lekkerkerker (organ) and Gareth Davis (bass clarinet), Roland Dahinden (trombone), Dario Calderone (double bass), Pau Sola Masafrets (cello), Joao Brito (percussion), and Marketa Scaffartzek (voice) on January 19th, 2025 in the Organpark
Collection: org anp ARK 
Composer: Stockhausen, Karlheinz 
 

A free time movie:

being different, aware --


of the surroundings.


Vrije tijd verfilmd:Die Freizeit verfilmt:
anders zijn, aandacht hebben --anders sein, Aufmerksamkeit --
voor de omgeving.für die Umgebung.

Poem H4726
Amsterdam, 2024-06-22
Here (Bas Devos)
Film (filming location Bever-Vilvoorde)
Collection: Summer birds
 

I'm piling up sounds,

I arrange and release them --


I search where I am.


Geluid stapelen,Geräusche stapeln,
het schikken en loslaten --sie ordnen und loslassen --
zoeken waar ik ben.suchen, wo ich bin.

Poem H4655
Amsterdam, 2024-05-29
Deviations (Casimir Geelhoed) - 2024
Composition for hyperorgan, performed by Casimir Geelhoed in the Organpark on May 29th, 2024, with a light show by Zalán Szakács
Collection: org anp ARK 
Composer: Geelhoed, Casimir 
 

Walking in silence,

listening attentively --


to what the world says.


Zwijgend wandelenSchweigend spazieren
en aandachtig toehoren --und aufmerksam zuhören --
wat de wereld zegt.was die Welt uns sagt.

Poem H4617
Amsterdam, 2024-05-06
Shalimar the Clown (Salman Rushdie) - 2005
Novel, chapter India
Collection: Low gear
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman 
 

Swerving to avoid

a puddle, I almost step --


into another.


Terwijl ik uitwijkAls ich der Pfütze
voor een plas, stap ik bijna --ausweiche, tret ich fast in --
in een andere.eine andere.

Poem S2179
Amsterdam, 2024-04-24
Little poet (Nescio) - 1918
Story "Dichtertje", written in 1917, chapter 11
Collection: Rasping ants
Tribute to: Nescio 
 

I'm fully present,

my body, all my senses --


here, in this garden.


Ik ben aanwezig,Ich bin anwesend,
mijn lichaam, mijn zintuigen --mein Körper, meine Sinne --
in deze herfsttuin.hier, im Herbstgarten.

Poem H4278
Amsterdam, 2023-11-11
Free (Claire M Singer) - 2022
Composition "Saor" ("Free", 2022, Claire M Singer), for five organs, performed by her on November 11th, 2023 in the Organpark
Collection: org ANP ark 
Composer: Singer, Claire M 
 

In the pale moonlight

it is intimidating:


our holiday home.


In het vale lichtIm fahlen Mondlicht
van de maan schrikt het me af:jagt es mir Angst ein: unser --
ons vakantiehuis.Ferienhäuschen.

Poem H3738
Amsterdam, 2023-02-21
Collection: Moons
 

The plants will show you

where it is passable here:


The Questioning Bog.


Let op de planten,Die Pflanzen zeigen
waar het hier begaanbaar is:wo es hier passierbar ist:
Het Vragenderveen.Das Fragende Moor.

Poem H3729
Amsterdam, 2023-02-14
The Office - The A.P. Beerta-Institute (Han Voskuil) - 1998
Raised bog near the village of Vragender (Interrogative, Questioning) in the Achterhoek (Rear-corner), near Winterswijk
Sphagnum floats on the meters deep water, and it waves when you walk on it
Novel "Het Bureau - Het A.P. Beerta-Instituut"
Page 931, Maarten Koning (1979)

Collection: Not too bad
Tribute to: Voskuil, Han 
 

Zywa Never boring

First I look at the man at the table
then at the window of the beach café
still as a photo, white lines around the panes

holding my attention
so beautiful that I don't get bored -
the white! the light! the division of the plane!

I consulted the wisdom
of the internet: Why
are photos never boring?

and I got a doggerel of commonplaces
which ignore the marvel
the marvel of the world

In photos, news reports and holiday
snaps, I now see the background -
the world around us

Poem 5035
Amsterdam, 2023-01-23
chat.openai.com
"Write a poem on: photos are never boring"
Photos Never Boring
Photos capture a moment in time
A memory frozen, forever to shine
In frames they sit, still and serene
But in our hearts, they come alive and keen

A smile on a face, a laugh in the air
A sunset so grand, it takes us somewhere
A baby's first steps, a loved one's embrace
These are the moments we can never replace

Photos may seem simple, just paper and ink
But they hold within them, a story to think
A journey through time, a tale to be told
Each one a treasure, to keep and behold

So never say photos are boring or bland
For in each one lies a memory grand
A window to the past, a treasure trove
Photos will never be boring, that's for sure

Collection: WoofWoof
 

The low branches swing

to and fro as if they hear --


what I am thinking.


De lage takkenDie Zweige wiegen,
wiegen alsof ze horen --als ob sie hören können --
wat ik zoal denk.was ich so denke.

Poem H3444
Amsterdam, 2022-09-13
Evening walk (Charles Simic) - 1992
Poem (collection "Hotel Insomnia")
Collection: Em Brace
Tribute to: Simic, Charles 
 

Step by step I walk

through the landscape, more and more --


it penetrates me.


Stap voor stap loop ikWährend ich gehe
door het landschap, steeds dieper --durch die Landschaft, immer mehr --
dringt het in mij door.dringt sie in mich ein.

Poem H3415
Amsterdam, 2022-08-13
A philosophy of walking (Frédéric Gros) - 2010
"Marcher, une philosophie"
Collection: Finethreads
Tribute to: Gros, Frederic 
 

Something sings beneath

reality, there's the beat --


of a heart, loudly.


Er zingt iets onderEtwas singt unter
de werkelijkheid, er klopt --der Wirklichkeit, ein Herz schlägt --
een hart, steeds luider.lauter und lauter.

Poem H3295
Amsterdam, 2022-05-20
Underneath (Jasna Velickovic) - 2020
Composition for hyperorgan and coils, performed by Jasna Veli?kovi? in the Organpark on May 20th, 2022 and May 28th, 2022 (on May 20th, 2022 as part 1 of a chain composition by ten composers)
Collection: org ANP ark 
Composer: Velickovic, Jasna 
 

I stroll and startle

a few birds, I am startled --


by their fluttering.


Op het pad schrik ikIch erschrecke die
vogels op, zodat ik schrik --Vögel und werde erschreckt --
van hun gefladder.von ihrem Geschwirr.

Poem H2806
Amsterdam, 2020-10-11
After the rain it had become cool in the forest (Wanli Yang) - 1170
Collection: SoulSenseSun
Tribute to: Yuan, Wanli 
 

I let the light shine

through my attentive heart, yes --


I cherryblossom!


Ik laat licht schijnenIch lasse Licht durch
door mijn aandachtige hart:mein Herz scheinen, aufmerksam:
ik kersenbloesem!ja, ich kirschblühe!

Poem H2684
Amsterdam, 2020-04-11
Collection: Take a picture, now
 

The public listens,

and watches me, silently --


I turn the sheet music.


Het publiek luistert,Das Publikum hört,
en let op mij; stil sla ik --und sieht mich an; ich schlage --
de bladmuziek om.Notenblätter um.

Poem S0950
Vaison-la-Romaine, 2019-10-18
The page-turner
Collection: Greeting from before
 

Upon me, I feel

the eyes of the audience --


Watching my music?


Ik voel de ogenIch spür die Augen
van de luisteraars op mij --der Zuhörer, können sie --
Zien ze mijn muziek?die Musik sehen?

Poem S0951
Vaison-la-Romaine, 2019-10-18
Collection: Half The Work
 

Mindfulness: naked

I sink into the buzzing --


of life around me.


Waakzaam wakker: naaktWachsam bin ich wach,
zink ik weg in het gonzen --versinke nackt im Summen --
van al het leven.von allem Leben.

Poem H2411
Amsterdam, 2019-03-13
Springtime (Jeroen Eisinga) - 2010
Performance
Collection: Metamorphic body
Tribute to: Eisinga, Jeroen 
 

Sea, delicate light:

you see sails, I happiness --


only, without you.


De zeedijk, teer licht:Das Meer, zartes Licht:
jij ziet zeilen, ik geluk --du siehst Segeln, und ich Glück --
maar dus zonder jou.also ohne dich.

Poem S0757
Amsterdam, 2018-06-20
The road to Sacramento (Gerrit Krol) - 1977
Novel "De weg naar Sacramento"
Collection: Loves Tricks Gains Pains in the 60s and 70s
Tribute to: Krol, Gerrit 
 

The cat lazes out

on the fence post in the sun --


ready to jump down.


De poes op de paalDie Katze sitzt faul
luiert in het zonnetje --auf dem Pfahl in der Sonne --
klaar om te springen.bereit zu springen.

Poem H0464
Amsterdam, 2013-06-12
Collection: WoofWoof
 

The magpie potters

about, looking all the time --


at me, secretly.


De ekster scharreltDie Elster im Gras
in het gras en kijkt en kijkt --scharrt herum und guckt und guckt --
stiekem steeds naar mij.heimlich auch nach mir.

Poem H0327
Texel, 2012-07-21
Collection: On living on [2]
 

I was talking and

didn't take notice of the ball --


until it hit me.


Ik stond te pratenIch redete und
en lette niet op de bal --achtete nicht auf den Ball --
tot hij mij raakte.bis daß er mich schlug.

Poem H0004
Amsterdam, 2011-10-12
Collection: My Home
 

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