| Wanting to be free, | |
| you let go of the helm and -- | |
| turn away from me. | |
| Je wilt vrij leven, | Du willst frei sein, lässt |
| je laat het roer los en keert -- | das Lenkrad los, wendest dich -- |
| je boos van mij af. | wütend von mir ab. |
Amsterdam, 2025-07-25
You point with your hands: so confined, so stuck (Frida Vogels) - 1994
Verse "Je wijst met je handen: zo ingeperkt, zo klemgezet", published in the collection "De harde kern 3" ("The hard core 3", part VI [Kees], and in "Diary 1962-1963" (2007) - March 29th, 1963, Amsterdam
Collection: Beyond the Cape
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida
| No strangers to it | |
| to judge, I want to figure -- | |
| it out by myself. | |
| Geen vreemden erbij | Nur keine Fremden, |
| om te oordelen, ik wil -- | um zu urteilen, lass es -- |
| het zelf oplossen. | mich ja selbst klären. |
Amsterdam, 2025-07-06
I didn't want strangers to judge (Frida Vogels) - 2024
Poem "Ik wilde niet dat vreemden recht spraken", published in the autobiography "In den vreemde - Kronieken" ("In foreign parts - Chronicles", 2024, Frida Vogels), chapter 'Herbert' - May 26th, 1976, Bologna
Collection: Helices
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida
| I stand on the hill, | |
| the town at my feet, I'm free -- | |
| like a landholder. | |
| Ik sta op de berg, | Ich steh auf dem Berg, |
| de stad ligt aan mijn voeten: | die Stadt zu meinen Füßen: |
| vrij als een landheer. | frei wie ein Gutsherr. |
Amsterdam, 2025-06-20
With a photo of Pieter at the Willbrig (July 13th, 2006, Willisau); there is a red crown on his white shirt
Collection: Summer birds
Dedicated to: Pieter W, Madelief dK
| A child has to wait | |
| till it becomes the master -- | |
| of its happiness. | |
| Een kind moet wachten | Ein Kind muss warten, |
| tot het eigen baas zal zijn -- | bis es der eigene Herr -- |
| over zijn geluk. | seines Glücks sein wird. |
Amsterdam, 2025-05-22
Today for me (Renate Dorrestein) - 1993
Autobiographical book "Heden ik", about ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome), chapter 'Fourth act'
Hodie mihi, cras tibi (today for me, tomorrow for thee)
Collection: Lack
Tribute to: Dorrestein, Renate
| Oh, just laugh at me | |
| and my funny hat: I live -- | |
| and it's not your life. | |
| Och, lach me maar uit | Lach nur über den |
| om mijn rare muts: ik leef -- | komischen Hut: ich lebe -- |
| niet jullie leven. | nicht euer Leben. |
Amsterdam, 2025-04-24
Memoir of a Snail (Adam Elliot) - 2024
With a photo from the animated film "Memoir of a Snail" (2024, Adam Elliot) - Grace Pudel (who is ridiculed for her cleft lip, and wears a 'snail hat')
Collection: Dearme
Tribute to: Elliot, Adam
Dedicated to: Lotte W
| A state of my own, | |
| new, within safe walls, that is -- | |
| what I call: freedom. | |
| Een eigen staat, nieuw, | Ein eigener Staat, |
| binnen veilige muren -- | neu, sicher ummauert, das -- |
| dat noem ik: vrijheid. | nenne ich: Freiheit. |
Amsterdam, 2024-10-21
the ground beneath her feet (Salman Rushdie) - 1999
Novel, chapter 13 On Pleasure Island
Collection: Sludge
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman
| Freedom is being | |
| able.. to choose for others, | |
| to suffer yourself. | |
| Vrijheid is kunnen | Freiheit: wählen zu |
| kiezen.. voor medemensen -- | können.. für andere, für -- |
| en zelf te lijden. | eigenes Leiden. |
Amsterdam, 2024-10-19
Collection: WoofWoof
| The flower necklace, | |
| she throws it away, doesn't want -- | |
| to be manacled. | |
| Ach, het bloemensnoer, | Ach, die Blumenschnur, |
| ze gooit het weg, ze wil niet -- | sie wirft sie weg, sie will nicht -- |
| geketend worden. | gekettet werden. |
Amsterdam, 2023-12-22
Midnight's Children (Salman Rushdie) - 1981
Novel, chapter 2-5 "Love in Bombay"
Collection: Shadows
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman
|
Everything flows, a coming |
Amsterdam, 2023-05-08
Heraclitus (Ephesus, 535-475)
"Panta rhei": "everything flows" like water
"Panta chorei": "everything changes place" through the "Pyros Tropai", the "turnings of (the eternal) fire"
Collection: On living on [2]
Tribute to: Heraclitus
| Freedom is loving | |
| differences, not having -- | |
| to put on an act. | |
| Vrijheid is liefde | Freiheit: Liebe zur |
| voor verschil, is geen toneel -- | Differenz, keine Rolle -- |
| te hoeven spelen. | spielen zu müssen. |
Amsterdam, 2022-11-04
Freedom from conformism
Collection: The climbing house
| Watch out, everyone | |
| is looking at us, our love -- | |
| must remain secret. | |
| Pas op, iedereen | Pass doch auf, jeder |
| let op ons, onze liefde -- | sieht uns, unsere Liebe -- |
| moet geheim blijven. | muss geheim bleiben. |
Amsterdam, 2022-11-04
You've got to hide your love away (John Lennon, The Beatles) - 1965
Song (album "Help!")
Collection: Loves Tricks Gains Pains in the years 1960-1979
Tribute to: Lennon, John; The Beatles
| I like to please men, | |
| to romp about with them and -- | |
| to decide who wins. | |
| Mannen wil ik graag | Männern gefallen, |
| behagen, met hen stoeien -- | mit ihnen herumtoben -- |
| en zeggen wie wint. | sagen, wer gewinnt. |
Amsterdam, 2022-11-02
Collection: Froend
| Only equal say | |
| in the community rules -- | |
| is really freedom. | |
| Inspraak van ieder | Nur die Mitsprache |
| in de gemeenschapsregels -- | bei Regeln der Gemeinschaft -- |
| is pas echt vrijheid. | ist wirklich Freiheit. |
Amsterdam, 2022-10-29
Collection: The drama
| I like to be soft, | |
| but hard enough to resist -- | |
| the worldly hardness. | |
| Zacht zijn, maar ook hard | Weich zu sein, aber |
| genoeg om de wereldse -- | hart genug, um weltliche -- |
| hardheid te weerstaan. | Härte zu hemmen. |
Amsterdam, 2022-10-21
Collection: Froend
| Peep at my figure, | |
| with the wind wild in my hair -- | |
| I'm fearlessly free. | |
| Begluur mijn figuur, | Belauer mich schon, |
| de wind wild in mijn haren -- | der Wind in meinen Haaren -- |
| ik ben vrij, niet bang. | ich bin furchtlos frei. |
Amsterdam, 2021-03-21
Collection: Metamorphic body
| No new week ahead, | |
| if there were no more Sundays -- | |
| whoopee, no Mondays! | |
| Zonder zondag zou | Toll, ohne Sonntag |
| er geen nieuwe week wachten -- | keine neuen Wochen mehr -- |
| heerlijk, geen maandag! | keine Montage! |
Amsterdam, 2020-12-09
In evil hour (Gabriel García Márquez) - 1962
Novel "La mala hora"
Collection: Dream flight
Tribute to: García Márquez, Gabriel
|
I would |
Amsterdam, 2020-03-15
Collection: Migration
Dedicated to: Maria Godschalk
|
I have practiced not to move |
Amsterdam, 2019-10-29
Hugo Grotius (1583-1645): legal treatise "Mare Liberum" ("The Freedom of the Seas") in 1609, and escape from Loevestein Castle on March 22nd, 1621
Collection: Migration
Tribute to: Grotius, Hugo
|
Laws liberate people |
Amsterdam, 2019-03-27
Hugo Grotius - 1621
Escape from Loevestein Castle on March 22nd, 1621
Collection: Migration
Tribute to: Grotius, Hugo
|
After the departure of the Romans |
Amsterdam, 2019-02-16
Excalibur, Britain AD 410
Collection: Secrets & Believers
| Knowing and doing | |
| what you want is the broad way -- | |
| the difficult way. | |
| Weten en doen wat | Auszuführen, was |
| je wilt, is het brede pad -- | man will, ist der breite Weg -- |
| het moeilijke pad. | der schwierige Weg. |
Amsterdam, 2018-11-05
Hear my voice now (Franca Treur) - 2017
Novel "Hoor nu mijn stem", chapter 24
Matthew 7:13-14 Enter through the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many enter through it; but small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it
Collection: Appearances
Tribute to: Treur, Franca
|
Mama, of course, conceded |
Amsterdam, 2018-10-12
Collection: The climbing house
| Do we choose to give | |
| life to undead parasites -- | |
| or are we worth more? | |
| Geven we leven | Gibst du untoten |
| aan ondode profiteurs -- | Schmarotzern Leben, oder -- |
| of zijn we meer waard? | willst du mehr wert sein? |
Vaison-la-Romaine, 2018-09-19
Atlas shrugged (Ayn Rand) - 1957
Novel, part 2 'Either - Or', chapter 8 'By our love'
Collection: Willegos
Tribute to: Rand, Ayn
| Let me drink the wine | |
| without being insincere -- | |
| It is not your blood. | |
| Laat me wijn drinken | Lass mich Wein trinken, |
| zonder schijnheilig te zijn -- | ohne heuchlerisch zu sein -- |
| Het is jouw bloed niet. | Es ist nicht dein Blut. |
Airplane Amsterdam-Marseille, 2018-09-14
Blossomed is the red rose (Hafez) - 1350
Ghazal (Ode) 25
Collection: Wean Di
Tribute to: Hafez
| Lovely is the fall | |
| from the ivory tower -- | |
| of grave piety. | |
| Heerlijk is de val | Wunderbar ist der |
| uit de ivoren toren -- | Fall aus dem Elfenbeinturm -- |
| van bange vroomheid. | banger Frömmigkeit. |
Vaison-la-Romaine, 2018-09-14
The eternal living Ancient One / The king needs a lifetime (Hafez) - 1350
Ghazal (Ode) 78
Collection: On the fly
Tribute to: Hafez
|
I feel Grandpa's soul in me |
Amsterdam, 2018-06-01
Abraham, 1900 BCE
Collection: A Home
|
I strayed off |
Amsterdam, 2017-06-02
Retired
Collection: Silent walk
|
Never I wanted to tolerate anything from anyone |
Amsterdam, 2017-04-04
Diary 1944-1945 - 1945
Collection: Pending rain
Dedicated to: Riet O
|
Just let me dance |
Amsterdam, 2017-03-23
The mountain: Olympos, where the gods live
Terpsichore entered the world through the Gate of the Gods (Bab-Ilim, Babylon)
Collection: Eyes lips chest and belly
| Give the land away, | |
| give it to those who stay, give -- | |
| everyone one vote. | |
| Geef het uit handen, | Gib das Land her, gib |
| geef het land aan de blijvers -- | es denen, die bleiben, gib -- |
| geef ieder een stem. | jedem eine Stimme. |
Amsterdam, 2017-03-09
Unsolicited advice (Ester Naomi Perquin) - 2017
Poem "Ongevraagd advies" (in the nrc.next of March 9th, 2017)
Collection: Wean Di
Tribute to: Perquin, Ester Naomi
| Away from the banks, | |
| the ferry crosses the Thames -- | |
| Heading for the sea? | |
| Ver van de oevers | Weit von den Ufern |
| vaart de pont over het IJ -- | befährt die Fähre den Fluss -- |
| Wil ze mee naar zee? | Will sie mit zum Meer? |
Amsterdam, 2011-12-15
Collection: Moons
