Zywa

It has still not been

learned: the spirit of the laws --

against slavery.



Helaas nog steeds niet	Noch nicht gelernt: der
geleerd: de geest van de wet --	Geist der Gesetze gegen --

tegen slavernij.	jede Sklaverei.

Poem S3205
Amsterdam, 2026-07-16
Once on the other side - 2 (Anna de Bruyckere) - 2020
Poem "Eenmaal aan de andere kant - 2" (collection "Voor permanente bewoning")
Collection: Truder
Tribute to: De Bruyckere, Anna

Zywa Counseling

We shake hands, finally
I am off the waiting list
and out of my own waiting room -
with someone who, just like mama
listens to me

to help me to know what helps me
what may work for me, someone who
will shout Action! and Stop!
from time to time, so that I get out
of the path in the vicious cycle

which I know better than I
would like, and even though
I have to get my body
with its afflictions moving
with too little energy

I still want to trust that
I can do it, can and will
have to do it myself, and
that I will find a place
where I'm not on the side

Poem 5847
Amsterdam, 2026-02-02
The Misunderstanding 'Psychotherapy' (Flip Jan van Oenen)
Enduring (Flip Jan van Oenen) - 2019
Books from 2019 and 2025
Collection: It takes a lot of tries to make a début
Tribute to: Van Oenen, Flip Jan
Dedicated to: Marije S

Zywa Golden Constitution

ARTICLE 1
The state consists of a legislative, an executive and a judicial power. The judicial power organizes itself and functions independently of the legislative and executive powers.

ARTICLE 2
All persons in the Netherlands have equal rights and are treated equally in equal cases. The state does not take into account personal aspects such as beliefs, preferences and physical characteristics.

ARTICLE 3
In the event of a violation or alleged violation of article 2, the state investigates the facts and acts in such a way that they are submitted to the judiciary for assessment.

ARTICLE 4
Unequal opportunities are eliminated as much as possible by the legislator, both in current cases and preventively by organising public order in accordance with article 2.

Poem 5583
Amsterdam, 2024-12-23
Regula Aurea (The Golden Rule), Trias politica
Mahabharata (850 BC): One should never do to another what one considers offensive to oneself. This is the essence of the rule of all righteousness (Dharma)
Veludv?reyya sutta 543 BC, after Boeddha: What is unpleasant and disagreeable to me is also unpleasant and disagreeable to others. How then can I burden another with what is unpleasant and disagreeable to me?
Tobit 4:16 (c. 200 BC): Quid ab alio odis fieri tibi vide ne alteri tu aliquando facias (What you hate to be done to you, see that you never do to another)
Analecta 12:2 AD 200, naar Confucius, 551-479
Keizer Alexander Severus (208-235, keizer vanaf 222): Quod tibi non vis fieri, alteri ne feceris (Do not do unto others what you do not want done to yourself)
Collection: The drama

Is respect: not to

compliment the beauty of --

beautiful people?



Is respect: mooie	Moderner Respekt:
mensen met hun schoonheid niet --	die Schönheit schöner Menschen --

complimenteren?	kein Lob zu preisen?

Poem H4948
Amsterdam, 2024-09-30
Summer-house with swimming pool (Herman Koch) - 2011
Novel "Zomerhuis met zwembad", chapter 8
Collection: Appearances
Tribute to: Koch, Herman

She deceives me, says

that her words are intended --

for the word-people.



Ze misleidt mij, zegt	Sie täuscht mich und sagt,
dat haar woorden bedoeld zijn --	ihre Worte seien nur --

voor de woordmensen.	für die Wort-Menschen.

Poem S2217
Amsterdam, 2024-06-11
Victory City (Salman Rushdie) - 2023
Novel "Victory City" [Vijayanagar >> Bisnaga, based on Fatehpur Sikri ('Victory City', near Agra), the capital of Emperor Abdul-Fath Jalaluddin 'Akbar' (= 'the Great' >> 'Akbar the Great')], part 1 Birth, chapter 4
Collections: Wind, WriteWiser signage
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman

He is not normal,

homeless, pretending to be --

the same as I am.



Hij is niet gewoon,	Er ist nicht normal,
dakloos, en hij doet alsof --	obdachlos, und er gibt vor --

hij is zoals ik.	so zu sein, wie ich.

Poem S1040
Amsterdam, 2020-06-19
The foreigner (Claudia Durastanti) - 2019
Novel "La straniera"
Collection: Wean Di
Tribute to: Durastanti, Claudia

Life is learning that:

you are No'other, almost --

the same as I am.



Leven is leren:	Leben ist lernen:
jij bent Geenander, bijna --	du bist Keinanderer, fast --

hetzelfde als ik.	genauso wie ich.

Poem H2700
Amsterdam, 2020-05-07
Peace
Collection: The drama

Zywa The pink shoes

With a bowed head, Pilar is toiling
through the sand, she's been playing
along the edge, where the water is white
from foam, coming and flowing back
much further than she can see

Mama knows right away
Pilar, where are your shoes?
Tell me, where did you put them?
Here Señora, look, I got them

You know, I have a girl like her
but she is ill, she has a fever
and cold feet, we don't have money
to buy shoes, and all of a sudden
she was wearing these pink shoes!

Three women listen in
they flap out their handkerchief
when Pilar gives her hoop
her bucket with the shovel

and a kiss as a goodbye
to the sick girl
who will grow up and
will keep the pink shoes
in a glass jar

Poem 2799
Amsterdam, 2020-03-18
The pink shoes (José Martí) - 1889
Poem "Los zapaticos de rosa"
Collection: Untwisted
Tribute to: Marti, José

Feeling fine or queer,

after drinking wine and beer --

people are equal.



Plezier en venijn:	Fein oder gemein,
na het bier en de wijn zijn --	je nach dem Bier und dem Wein --

arm en rijk gelijk.	sind die Menschen gleich.

Poem S0936
Amsterdam, 2019-09-28
Poor people drink beer, rich people drink wine
(Beer before wine and you'll be fine - wine before beer and you'll feel queer)
Collection: Local traffic

Zywa Sand pirates

Will there be sand pirates
as long as there are people
living in sand?

The desert is in bloom after a day
of rain, at night the water dribbles

between the shoots of bushes
and young trees - a wise lesson

in politics, to distribute what is there
whoever the people are

and wherever they live, for
the rain and the earth are free:

a field and a garden for everyone
believing or not

in freedom and equality
believing or not

that God exists
and does not get tired
of giving mankind new chances

Poem 2221
Amsterdam, 2019-04-25
Islamic tradition: Muhammad (Mount Hira) - 610
Meditation in a cave of Mount Hira near Mecca, AD 610
Collection: The Praised One

My reputation,

I am terribly ashamed --

of it, my good name.



Ach, mijn goede naam,	Mein guter Name,
wat schaam ik me ontzettend --	wie schrecklich schäme ich mich --

voor mijn goede naam.	für meinen Namen.

Poem S0785
Amsterdam, 2018-09-14
In the street of the tavern (Hafez) - 1350
Ghazal (Ode) 47
Collection: Appearances
Tribute to: Hafez

Zywa Discovery (after a lot of counting)

Like you I look
for the distinctions to understand
what has been

different in the womb
in the neighbourhood where we grew up
and with the people who lived there

And I do not know
We look alike, this or that way
we rolled down a sand hill

whistled on a straw or acorn cap
discovered the zero after a lot of counting
learned to write with bread

and tried our best to get permission
to eat the letters, it was
all differently the same

Also the uncles and the aunts
and the children from the neighbourhood:
the differences are numerous

but too small
to be able to catch them
So I have to swallow

and admit that it is true
that you are just as good
as I think I am myself

Poem 1291
Amsterdam, 2017-04-22
In medieval monastic schools, children learned to write with letters made of bread, which they ate after class
In the 19th century Sinterklaas-presents (similar to Christmas presents) were covered by a white sheet, on which a bread letter indicated who they were for
Collection: The drama

So, the Minister

of Justice cycles to work:

no privileges.



Juist de minister	Eben der Justiz-
van justitie moet fietsen:	minister radelt: keine --

geen privileges.	Privilegien.

Poem H0129
Amsterdam, 2012-01-10
Minister of Justice J.H. Donner often cycled to work (as Prime Minister M. Rutte would later do)
Privileges = "private laws" = "exceptive laws"/"laws of exception"
Collection: Secrets & Believers

Equal heart
Amsterdam, 2008-05-03
Collection: Pencil

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