Zywa One or the other
(taking leave from what you are not going to do)

What shall I do?
For now, nothing
I decide
to postpone my decision

I know the pros and cons
but I do not yet have the courage
to take leave
from what I am not going to do

My thoughts about how it might
turn out are a problem
How can I trust

that it will go well
that I will be fine
if it goes differently

than expected and it depends
on how I view it at the time
whether I will be open to it?

Poem 6084
Amsterdam, 2026-07-16
What do you want then? (Lot Vekemans) - 2025
Autobiographical account "Wat wil je dan?", chapters 20 and 28
Collection: Changing Times
Tribute to: Vekemans, Lot 
 

I can live without

you, I can love myself, and --


yes, better than you.


Ik kan zonder jou,Ich kann ohne dich
ik kan van mezelf houden --leben und mich selbst lieben --

ja, beter dan jij.

Poem H5890
Amsterdam, 2025-08-28
Flowers (Miley Cyrus) - 2023
Song, album "Endless Summer Vacation"
Collection: Loves Tricks Gains Pains in the years 2020-2029
Tribute to: Cyrus, Miley 
 

My work is done, what-

ever it's worth, satisfied --


I now say goodbye.


Mijn werk is af, watIch bin zufrieden
het ook waard is, tevreden --mit meiner Arbeit, ich kann --

neem ik nu afscheid.mich verabschieden.

Poem H5888
Amsterdam, 2025-08-27
Dying (Frida Vogels) - 1994
Poem "Doodgaan", published in the collection "De harde kern 3" ("The hard core 3", part XII [Evaluation]), and in "Diary 1972-1973" (2012) - April 11th, 1973, Amsterdam
Collection: Overwritten
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida 
 

I'm pulling at your

corpse, I won't give up, want to --


bring you back to life.


Ik sjor aan jouw lijk,Ich zieh an deiner
ik geef niet op, wil je weer --Leiche, will dich wieder zum --

tot leven wekken.Leben erwecken.

Poem S2851
Amsterdam, 2025-08-08
A heavy dead body (Frida Vogels) - 1994
Verse "Een zwaar dood lichaam", published in the collection "De harde kern 3" ("The hard core 3", part V [Mother], and in "Diary 1966-1967" (2009) - July 3rd, 1967, Bologna
Collection: Between us
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida 
 

Anyone who takes

a big step, will feel no joy --


only loss and pain.


Wie een grote stapWer einen großen
waagt, zal geen vreugde voelen --Schritt wagt, hat keine Freude --

maar verlies en pijn.nur Verlust und Schmerz.

Poem S2694
Amsterdam, 2025-06-03
Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? (Jeanette Winterson) - 2011
Autobiography (normal means: heterosexual), chapter 5, At Home
Collection: Over
Tribute to: Winterson, Jeanette 
 

Everyone is still

asleep when I leave, the woods --


blur me step by step.


Bij mijn vertrek slaaptAlle schlafen noch
iedereen nog, het bos wist --als ich gehe, der Wald löscht --

mij stap voor stap uit.mich Schritt für Schritt aus.

Poem H5345
Amsterdam, 2025-03-29
Forest (Aspasia Nasopoulou) - 2013
Composition "Forest", poem "En el bosque de los pomelos lunares" ("In the forest of the lunar grapefruits", 1921, Federico García Lorca), music Aspasia Nasopoulou (2013, for soprano and accordion), performed in het Organpark on March 29th, 2025 by Kristia Michael (soprano) and Claudio Jacomucci (accordion)
Collection: org anp ARK 
Tribute to: García Lorca, Federico 
Composer: Nasopoulou, Aspasia 
 

Zywa Dirt road

Before we can no longer
seal the cracks
of windows and doors
against betrayal
we must take other risks
to preserve our dreams

Until we can no longer
dance away our common
powerlessness in love songs
with our hands and hips
and sing along with
the happiness and the longing

Then to dance with eyes and lips
and to sing along together
to drown out the sorrow
of the unwanted
farewell that we take
without saying goodbye

The apples taste like oil
the wind erases our traces
on the cracked skin
of the pale earth where
nothing flourishes and nothing thrives
It erases our contact

Poem 5577
Amsterdam, 2024-12-02
Dirt Road (Panah Panahi) - 2021
Film "Jadde Khaki" ("Dirt Road" / "Hit the Road")
Collection: On living on [2]
Tribute to: Panahi, Panah 
 

Now my love for you

is over, absolutely --


How happy I am!


Mijn liefde voor jouDie Liebe zu dir
is voorbij, over en uit --ist vorbei und vorüber --

Oh, wat ben ik blij!Wie glücklich bin ich!

Poem H4904
Amsterdam, 2024-09-08
The Message to the Planet (Iris Murdoch) - 1989
Novel, part Six
Collection: Longing and Loss
Tribute to: Murdoch, Iris 
 

I'll be fine, but you,

whoever you'll love, don't smoke --


in bed anymore.


Ik red me prima,Mir geht’s gut, aber
maar jij, met wie je ook slaapt --du, egal mit wem du schläfst --

rook niet meer in bed.rauch nicht mehr im Bett.

Poem H4883
Amsterdam, 2024-08-27
Don't smoke in bed (Willard Robinson / Nina Simone) - 1947
Song, sung in 1957 by Nina Simone (album "Little Girl Blue", 1959)
Collection: Loves Tricks Gains Pains in the years 1940-1959
Tribute to: Robinson, Willard; Simone, Nina 
 

Bye, I must move on

darling, I'm sorry for you --


I will not marry.


Vaarwel, ik moet gaanLebe wohl, ich muss
lieverd, het spijt me voor jou --fort, Liebling, es tut mir Leid --

Ik wil niet trouwen.ich heirate nicht.

Poem H4821
Amsterdam, 2024-08-02
Good night (Wilhelm Müller / Franz Schubert) - 1824
Song poem "Gute Nacht", cyclus "Winterreise" - 1, set to music in 1827 by Franz Schubert
Collection: Passage Passion
Tribute to: Mueller, Wilhelm 
Composer: Schubert, Franz 
 

She planned it and said

goodbye to each of us, as --


we later found out.


Van ieder van onsVon uns allen hat
heeft ze afscheid genomen --sie sich verabschiedet, wie --

merkten we later.sich herausstellte.

Poem H4430
Amsterdam, 2024-01-07
recently (Anjet Daanje) - 2016
Novel "jl." (the title also refers to Juno Linnaarts), chapter September 23rd, 2011
Collection: Em Brace
Tribute to: Daanje, Anjet 
 

Zywa Hasty farewell

Closing time, the farewell
almost over, the seats free
the table full, the glasses empty

I have to go, I'm leaving
Don't look at me like that, you
old singers in old frames

It's quiet on the street, I'm going
The moon is shining, we are turning
back to the sun already

The dogs stand
The scent of our love
has evaporated

The sheets are cold
Put an extra blanket
over your memory

Poem 5138
Amsterdam, 2023-04-24
Restless farewell (Bob Dylan) - 1964
Song (album "The times they are a-changin' ")
Collection: Great Flow 
Tribute to: Dylan, Bob; Baez, Joan 
 

Even if you give

away everything you have --


there's the link it forged.


Al geef je allesAuch wenn man alles
weg, dan nog is er de band --verschenkt, gibt's die Beziehung --

die je daarmee schept.damit geschmiedet.

Poem H3650
Amsterdam, 2023-01-06
ALL (or nothing) (Jotie T'Hooft) - 1977
Poem "ALLES (of niets)" (collection "De laatste gedichten")
Collection: After the festivities
Tribute to: T'Hooft, Jotie 
 

I'm rowing away

from my love, pulling the oars --


that I have not yet.


Ik roei weg van hem,Ich geh weg von ihm,
ik trek hard aan de riemen --ich ziehe an den Rudern --

die ik nog niet heb.die ich noch nicht hab.

Poem H2937
Amsterdam, 2021-04-14
Is it maybe (Wannes Cappelle)
Gitte (Kristien Hemmerechts) - 2008

Song "Est miskien" (album "Akattemets")
Novel "Gitte"

Collection: Willegos
Tribute to: Cappelle, Wannes; Hemmerechts, Kristien 
 

I will not kiss me

to your navel, not through it --


not into your dreams.


Ik kus me niet meerIch küss mich nicht hin
naar jouw navel, niet erdoor --durch deinen Nabel, nicht hin --

niet jouw dromen in.in deine Träume.

Poem H2872
Amsterdam, 2020-12-23
Nachtgesang (May Ayim) - 1995
Poem "Nachtgesang" (collection "blues in schwarz weiß")
Collection: After the festivities
Tribute to: Ayim, May 
 

Zywa Vodka in his heart

A musician, the handsome dream
of a year ago, still in my head
lying beside me after an easy lay

in the smell of his breath
and the noose of his hand
around my neck

My love snores with tears
in his eyes, and vodka
in his heart

I get up and go
leave this hell of mine
wishing he would be a tiger

knowing I am a panther
and if I had any stripes
I would wear them with pride

Poem 1973
Amsterdam, 2018-12-11
A ruiner (Olivia) - 2018
Poem
Collection: Bruises
Tribute to: Olivia 
 

Zywa You over there

In amazement have I seen your face
You seemed to be so different today
Your ears deaf
your eyes closed
an empty mouth
with hollow words
and no one listening

But it really was you
Bye loved one that you were
I leave you over there
beyond the broken bridge

No use in talking, or shouting
There is a lively road
ahead of me, for me
a one-way street
of gladly being alone
free in my heart and
free in what I do

Poem 1898
Amsterdam, 2018-11-10
what are words for (Kit Kat 77) - 2018
Poem (AllPoetry.com)
Collection: Froend
Tribute to: Kit Kat 77 
 

I need strange hard hands

to plow me, tearing apart --


your roots inside me.


Laat harde handenLass harte Hände
ploegen, laat ze diep in mij --mich pflügen, deine Wurzeln --

jouw wortels breken.in mir zerreißen.

Poem H1329
Amsterdam, 2015-09-21
Hard strange hands (Hilde Domin) - 1953
Poem "Harte fremde Hände"
Collection: VacantVoid
Tribute to: Domin, Hilde 
 

Zywa Misunderstanding in two

We tore our misunderstanding
in two abrasive stories

     flakes of sour air

kept our own half
just like Saint Martin
but the other way around

     between us: the shredder

we just took our right with us
it was so much work to do it away

     up to three pieces at a time

rather we armed ourselves
under the skin, the gloss
shone through it

     do not touch me

Poem 98
Amsterdam, 2007-12-06
Collection: Moons
 

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