| I have never once | |
| managed not to regret it: | |
| my birthday party! | |
| Nooit eens lukt het me | Nie schaffe ich es, |
| om van mijn verjaardagsfeest -- | meine Geburtstagsfeier -- |
| geen spijt te krijgen! | nicht zu bereuen! |
Amsterdam, 2025-12-22
The beetle was standing in front of his window when he heard someone shouting in a loud voice (Toon Tellegen) - 2018
Short story "De kever stond voor zijn raam toen hij iemand met luide stem hoorde roepen", published in the collection "Het leed van de stoftor" #45
Collection: Perhaps / Some day / Occasionally / Almost
Tribute to: Tellegen, Toon
| Let us talk about | |
| life, because it is often -- | |
| so disappointing. | |
| Over het leven | Über das Leben |
| praat ik graag, want het is vaak -- | spreche ich gern, weil es oft -- |
| zo teleurstellend. | so enttäuschend ist. |
Amsterdam, 2025-12-06
(Episode 37) In which Cindy learned about the Haarlemmer Gate (Cindy Hoetmer) - 2025
Column "(Aflevering 37) Waarin Cindy leerde over de Haarlemmerpoort", in the Uitkrant ('Nightlife Paper', winter 25/26)
Collection: No wonder
Tribute to: Hoetmer, Cindy
| Light-footed within | |
| me, my expectations tap -- | |
| open the future. | |
| In mij tokkelen | Zart in mir zupfen |
| verwachtingen lichtvoetig -- | Erwartungen leichtfüßig -- |
| de toekomst open. | die Zukunft offen. |
Amsterdam, 2025-10-25
Cormorant 2775 (Jacob Lekkerkerker) - 2025
Part of the composition, performed in the Organpark on October 25th, 2025 by Jacob Lekkerkerker (synthesizer) and Oene van Geel (viola)
Collection: org anp ARK
Tribute to: Lekkerkerker, Jacob; Van Geel, Oene
| My expectations | |
| have changed in the meantime, they -- | |
| are much less naive. | |
| Ik heb andere | Seitdem habe ich |
| verwachtingen gekregen -- | andere Erwartungen -- |
| Niet meer zo naïef. | Weniger naiv. |
Amsterdam, 2025-08-11
Diary 1968-1969 (Frida Vogels) - 2010
"Dagboek 1968-1969" - January 24th, 1969, Bologna
Collection: Between us
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida
| I have ignored the | |
| alarm, that's how I adored -- | |
| you, how I spoiled you. | |
| Ik negeerde het | Ich ignorierte |
| alarm, zo aanbad ik jou -- | den Alarm, verehrte dich -- |
| Zo bedierf ik jou. | hab dich verdorben. |
Amsterdam, 2025-08-07
You were a little prince - with nothing (Frida Vogels) - 1994
Poem "Je was een prinsje - met niets", published in the collection "De harde kern 3" ("The hard core 3", part VI [Kees], and in "Diary 1966-1967" (2009) - March 22nd, 1967, Amsterdam
Collection: Between us
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida
| Outside I search for | |
| the way, hesitantly ad- | |
| just expectations. | |
| Buitenshuis zoek ik | Draußen suche ich |
| de weg, twijfelend stel ik -- | den Weg, zögernd passe ich -- |
| verwachtingen bij. | Erwartungen an. |
Amsterdam, 2025-06-04
A gentle day (Eva Gouda) - 2022
Poem "Een zachte dag"
Collection: Here &Now&
Tribute to: Gouda, Eva
| Happy Holidays | |
| and Papa Bear is with us: | |
| Open, Sesame! | |
| Blije feestdagen | Schöne Festtage |
| en Papa Beer is erbij: | und Papa Bär ist bei uns: |
| Sesam, Open u! | Sesam, Öffne dich! |
Amsterdam, 2024-12-18
Sesame Street
For Ellen H and Levi S (in response to their Christmas wish with Levi as an angel/elf, the third line was: We get wings!)
Collection: More
Dedicated to: Ellen H
| Something is coming | |
| and it's making me restless -- | |
| It's a spring feeling. | |
| Er is iets op komst | Ich spüre etwas |
| en dat maakt me onrustig -- | und das macht mich unruhig -- |
| Een lentegevoel. | Ein Frühlingsgefühl. |
Amsterdam, 2024-08-27
It might as well be spring (Oscar Hammerstein II / Nina Simone) - 1945
Song (music Richard Rodgers, for the film "State Fair"), sung in 1955 by Sarah Vaughan, in 1958 by Nina Simone (album "The Amazing Nina Simone") and in 1961 by Frank Sinatra
Collection: Finethreads
Tribute to: Hammerstein, Oscar II; Simone, Nina
| Slow down now and wait | |
| with me, as in your slumber -- | |
| love flares up fiercely. | |
| Vertraag nu en wacht, | Verzögert mit mir, |
| met mij, terwijl in jouw slaap -- | während in deinem Schlummer -- |
| de liefde ontvlamt. | die Liebe aufflammt. |
Amsterdam, 2024-08-08
While you sleep (Pietro Metastasio / Antonio Vivaldi) - 1734
Air "Mentre dormi" ("While you sleep", 1734, Antonio Vivaldi, RV 725), from the opera "La olimpiada" ("The Olympiad" / "The Olympics", libretto 1733, Pietro Metastasio)
Collection: Love Mind and Death
Tribute to: Metastasio, Pietro
Composer: Vivaldi, Antonio
| He who doesn't see what | |
| he expects, doesn't see what's there -- | |
| is disappointed. | |
| Wie wat hij verwacht | Wer nicht sieht, was er |
| niet ziet, ziet niet wat er is -- | erwartet, sieht nicht, was da -- |
| komt bedrogen uit. | ist, fühlt sich getäuscht. |
Amsterdam, 2024-07-22
The Dream of Poliphilus (Francesco Colonna) - 1499
Story "Hypnerotomachia Poliphili" ("Poliphilo's Strife of Love in a Dream"), first book, chapter 10
Et per quella ancipite anima diversione, l'homo s'æpicule dell'expectato remane sencia emendatione decepto
Collection: Unseen
Tribute to: Colonna, Francesco
| Disillusionment: | |
| seeing the ridiculous -- | |
| ignoring beauty. | |
| Desillusie is: | Desillusion ist: |
| het belachelijke zien -- | das Lächerliche sehen -- |
| schoonheid negeren. | Schönheit negieren. |
Amsterdam, 2024-07-03
The Hidden Force (Louis Couperus) - 1900
Novel "De stille kracht", chapter 2, § 1
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Tribute to: Couperus, Louis
| My expectations | |
| are full like dark purple plums -- | |
| just before they fall. | |
| Mijn vermoedens zijn | Mein Verdacht ist voll |
| vol als donkere pruimen -- | wie eine dunkle Pflaume -- |
| vlak voor ze vallen. | kurz bevor sie fällt. |
Amsterdam, 2023-08-10
it doesn't come to me anymore (Antjie Krog) - 2022
Poem "dit kom nie meer op my af nie" (collection "Plunder" ["Pillage"])
Collection: Over
Tribute to: Krog, Antjie
| On expectations | |
| the bar is set so high that -- | |
| I pass under it. | |
| Op verwachtingen | Auf Erwartungen |
| ligt de lat zo hoog, dat ik -- | liegt die Latte hoch: ich geh -- |
| er onderdoor loop. | darunter hindurch. |
Amsterdam, 2023-07-04
Just sit it out (Ellen Deckwitz) - 2023
Column "Gewoon uitzitten" (NRC July 4th, 2023)
Collection: Death on Cast
Tribute to: Deckwitz, Ellen
| You're getting older, | |
| tomorrow is not at all -- | |
| the day that would come. | |
| Zo word je ouder, | So wird man älter, |
| morgen komt niet de morgen -- | morgen kommt nicht das Morgen -- |
| die er zou komen. | das kommen würde. |
Amsterdam, 2023-02-03
Farewell (Jens Christian Grøndahl) - 2020
Story "Farväl" (collection "Dage som græs"), § 1
Collection: Stream
Tribute to: Grøndahl, Jens Christian
| I'm caught in a net, | |
| not in your, but in my net -- | |
| of expectations. | |
| Ik zit gevangen, | Ich bin gefangen, |
| niet in jouw, maar in mijn net -- | in meinem, nicht deinem, Netz -- |
| van verwachtingen. | von Erwartungen. |
Amsterdam, 2022-07-07
Collection: Dearme
| Upon departure | |
| we're packed with expectations -- | |
| and sweet homesickness. | |
| Wachten op vertrek, | Bei der Abreise voll- |
| bepakt met verwachtingen -- | gepackt mit Erwartungen -- |
| en zoete heimwee. | und süßem Heimweh. |
Amsterdam, 2022-06-25
Collection: Migration
| I really love you, | |
| but what you expect from me -- | |
| I can't bear no more. | |
| Ik houd wel van jou, | Ich liebe dich schon, |
| maar wat jij van mij verwacht -- | aber was du erwartest -- |
| verdraag ik niet meer. | ertrage ich nicht. |
Amsterdam, 2022-06-22
Testament (Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer, Ellen ten Damme) - 2009
Poem/Song (album "Durf jij"), sung by Ellen ten Damme
Collection: Palace of the night
Tribute to: Pfeijffer, Ilja Leonard; Ten Damme, Ellen
| There are knocks, no ring | |
| at the door, I open it -- | |
| for a little boy. | |
| Er wordt geklopt, niet | Jemand klopft an, kein |
| aangebeld, ik doe open -- | Klingeln, ich öffne die Tür -- |
| voor een jongetje. | für einen Burschen. |
Amsterdam, 2022-04-14
Monterosso mon amour (Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer) - 2022
Novella
Collection: Palace of the night
Tribute to: Pfeijffer, Ilja Leonard
| I apply pressure | |
| to the people close to me -- | |
| with expectations. | |
| Ik oefen dwang uit, | Ja, auch ich setze |
| zet mijn naasten onder druk -- | meinen Nächsten unter Druck -- |
| met verwachtingen. | mit Erwartungen. |
Amsterdam, 2022-01-24
Collection: Dearme
| After letting go | |
| I breathe again, my chest full -- | |
| of expectations. | |
| Na het loslaten | Ich lasse los und |
| adem ik weer, mijn borst vol -- | atme wieder, meine Brust -- |
| met verwachtingen. | voller Erwartung. |
Amsterdam, 2020-06-15
Collection: Summer birds
Dedicated to: Maria Godschalk
|
I like to lie awake |
Amsterdam, 2019-04-21
"Ancient Master" on AllPoetry.com
Collection: It takes a lot of tries to make a début
Dedicated to: Michael J K
| In doubt I observe, | |
| expecting the miracle -- | |
| to happen right here. | |
| Ik twijfel en kijk | Ich zweifle und schau |
| afwachtend toe: het wonder -- | erwartungsvoll: das Wunder -- |
| moet hier gebeuren. | muss hier geschehen. |
Amsterdam, 2018-10-17
Hippie (Paolo Coelho) - 2018
Autobiographical novel
Collection: Chance
Tribute to: Coelho, Paulo
| The thick envelope | |
| is an exciting promise -- | |
| preserved unopened. | |
| De enveloppe: | Der Briefumschlag ist |
| opwindende belofte -- | ein spannendes Versprechen -- |
| gesloten bewaard. | verschlossen bewahrt. |
Zandvoort aan Zee, 2018-01-29
Collection: Half The Work
| It's lovely to be | |
| in my hotel room all day: | |
| I am in Paris! | |
| Heerlijk heel de dag | Schön den ganzen Tag |
| in mijn hotelkamer, oh -- | in meinem Hotelzimmer: |
| ik ben in Parijs! | ich bin in Paris! |
Amsterdam, 2017-09-09
I'm writing this (Frida Vogels) - 2006
Poem "Ik schrijf dit", published in "Diary 1958-1959" - November 1st, 1958, Paris
Collection: Beyond the Cape
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida
|
My cabinet with books is in the street |
Amsterdam, 2017-03-24
Collection: More
|
In the bend of the brook |
Amsterdam, 2017-03-13
Chapel the Sacred Oak on the Beerze (in 1400 the statue of Mary was stolen from the oak, but it drifted back upstream)
Collection: Webgarden
Dedicated to: Dory dK
| Along the crenels | |
| the watchmen keep walking round -- | |
| in their expectance. | |
| Op de torentrans | Die Zinne entlang |
| lopen de wachters steeds rond -- | laufen die Wächter herum -- |
| in hun verwachting. | in Erwartungen. |
Julianadorp, 2011-12-26
All along the watchtower (Bob Dylan) - 1968
Song (album "John Wesley Harding")
Collection: Great Flow
Tribute to: Dylan, Bob
| The night is still dark, | |
| the rooster begins to crow -- | |
| the wind gathers strength. | |
| Het is nog donker, | Es ist noch dunkel, |
| de haan begint te kraaien -- | der Hahn fängt an zu krähen -- |
| de wind wakkert aan. | gleich nimmt der Wind zu. |
Julianadorp, 2011-12-25
After the song "All along the watchtower" (1967, Bob Dylan)
Collection: NightWatch
