| I wanted to say | |
| goodbye to him, but I couldn't -- | |
| He bored me so much. | |
| Ik wilde afscheid | Ich wollte mich ver- |
| nemen, maar het lukte niet -- | abschieden, konnte es nicht -- |
| Hij verveelde me. | Er langweilte mich. |
Amsterdam, 2026-10-04
Collapse (Édouard Louis) - 2024
Biography "L'effondrement" (translated 2026), chapter 3, paragraph 'Fact number 14'
Collection: Spirals
Tribute to: Louis, Edouard
| We say goodbye, numb | |
| with sadness, playing that we -- | |
| believe in our words. | |
| We nemen afscheid, | Abschied. Wir spielen, |
| spelen dat we geloven -- | dass wir daran glauben, an -- |
| in onze woorden. | unsere Worte. |
Amsterdam, 2026-01-20
Within the skin (Han Voskuil) - 2009
Autobiographical novel "Binnen de huid" (written 1964-1967), chapter 26 - March 2nd, 1955, Amsterdam
Collection: Elude
Tribute to: Voskuil, Han
| The friendship is so | |
| delicate, we cannot say -- | |
| goodbye properly. | |
| De vriendschap is zo | Die Freundschaft ist so |
| teer, we zijn niet in staat om -- | zart, wir sind unfähig uns -- |
| afscheid te nemen. | zu verabschieden. |
Amsterdam, 2025-07-05
On closer inspection (Han Voskuil) - 1963
Autobiographical novel "Bij nader inzien", pages 1025-1028 - May 14th, 1952, Amsterdam
Collection: Elude
Tribute to: Voskuil, Han
| I don't want any | |
| confidences, which goes well -- | |
| so we say goodbye. | |
| Ontboezemingen | Vertraulichkeiten |
| wil ik niet, dat lukt me, dus -- | will ich nicht, das klappt, also -- |
| nemen we afscheid. | können wir gehen. |
Amsterdam, 2025-07-05
In foreign parts - Chronicles (Frida Vogels) - 2024
Autobiography "In den vreemde - Kronieken", chapter 'De horlogemaker' (The watchmaker) - Meeting a friend - January 1972, San Severo
Collection: Overwritten
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida
| Last night we made love, | |
| this morning we are strangers -- | |
| sad you are leaving. | |
| Vannacht minnaars, nu | Wir liebten uns, jetzt, |
| zijn we vreemden, verdrietig -- | sind wir Fremde, und traurig -- |
| ga jij bij me weg. | gehst du von mir weg. |
Amsterdam, 2025-03-01
Hey, that's no way to say goodbye (Leonard Cohen) - 1967
Song "Hey, that's no way to say goodbye" (album "Songs of Leonard Cohen"), sung in 1969 by Roberta Flack (Album "First Take")
Collection: Loves Tricks Gains Pains in the years 1960-1979
Tribute to: Cohen, Leonard; Flack, Roberta
| When we say goodbye, | |
| my waving hand trembles, but -- | |
| father doesn't notice. | |
| We nemen afscheid. | Abschied, ich winke. |
| Mijn zwaaiende hand trilt, maar -- | Meine Hand zittert, aber -- |
| vader merkt het niet. | Vater merkt es nicht. |
Amsterdam, 2023-12-07
Terminal Resemblance (Louise Glück) - 1990
Poem (collection "Ararat")
Collection: Em Brace
Tribute to: Glück, Louise
| The corner café | |
| must close, because times have changed -- | |
| There is a new law. | |
| Het oude café | Die alte Kneipe |
| gaat sluiten, dicht moet het -- | muss jetzt schließen, des neuen -- |
| van de nieuwe wet. | Gesetzes wegen. |
Amsterdam, 2023-12-05
Goodbye café (Willem Wilmink, Herman van Veen) - 1969
Song "Adieu café", sung by Herman van Veen (album "Herman van Veen II"), also published in Willem Wilmink's collection "Goejanverwellesluis" (1971)
Collection: Over
Tribute to: Wilmink, Willem; Van Veen, Herman
| We've been together | |
| and we say goodbye, hoping -- | |
| but failing to do. | |
| We waren samen | Der Abschied nach dem |
| en namen afscheid, hoopten -- | Beisammensein: wir hofften -- |
| maar lieten het na. | taten aber nichts. |
Amsterdam, 2023-12-04
He was weak, and I was strong - then - (Emily Dickinson) - 1860
Poem (Franklin #221, Johnson #190)
Collection: Tardiness in Acceleration
Tribute to: Dickinson, Emily
| I'm about leaving | |
| my mother, leaving her love -- | |
| ever asking love. | |
| Ik neem zo afscheid | Mich verabschieden, |
| van mama, van haar liefde -- | von Mama, ihrer Liebe -- |
| vragende liefde. | bittender Liebe. |
Amsterdam, 2023-09-13
Love Poems - End of another home-holiday" - 1 (David Lawrence) - 1913
Poem (collection "Love Poems and Others")
Collection: Tardiness in Acceleration
Tribute to: Lawrence, David
| Everything is there, | |
| but it gives me no idea -- | |
| what to do with it. | |
| Alles staat er nog, | Alles ist noch da, |
| maar het geeft me geen idee -- | aber ich weiß nicht, was ich -- |
| wat ik ermee moet. | damit machen soll. |
Amsterdam, 2023-06-30
No objection, not a sound either (Jan Baeke) - 2013
After the life partner's death
Poem "Geen bezwaar, ook geen geluid" (collection "Het tankstation op de route")
Collection: Over
Tribute to: Baeke, Jan
| No, I cannot speak | |
| about them, they haven't been there -- | |
| for far, far too long. | |
| Ik kan niet praten | Ich kann nicht sprechen |
| over hen, veel te lang al -- | über sie, zu lange schon -- |
| zijn ze er niet meer. | sind sie nicht mehr da. |
Amsterdam, 2022-09-25
A year like (no) other (Kristien Hemmerechts) - 2003
Diary "Een jaar als (g)een ander"
Collection: Moist glow
Tribute to: Hemmerechts, Kristien
|
There is no good ending |
Amsterdam, 2022-06-24
(Album) Watertown (Jake Holmes, Frank Sinatra) - 1970
Songs "Goodbye (She Quietly Says)" and "The Train" (album "Watertown", lyrics Jake Holmes, sung by Frank Sinatra)
Collection: Loves Tricks Gains Pains in the years 2000-2009
Tribute to: Holmes, Jake; Sinatra, Frank
| Will this be goodbye, | |
| our happiness a photo -- | |
| of a splendid day? | |
| Is dit ons afscheid, | Ist's unser Abschied, |
| wordt ons geluk een foto -- | wird unser Glück ein Foto -- |
| van een mooie dag? | einer schönen Zeit? |
Amsterdam, 2021-12-10
Photo of a beautiful day (Frank Boeijen) - 1985
Song "Foto van een mooie dag" (album "Foto van een mooie dag")
Collection: After the festivities
Tribute to: Boeijen, Frank
| The pond is chilly, | |
| the wind high up in the pines -- | |
| brings autumn again. | |
| De vijver is kil, | Der Weiher ist kalt, |
| de wind hoog in de dennen -- | der Wind hoch in den Kiefern -- |
| brengt weer het najaar. | bringt wieder den Herbst. |
Amsterdam, 2020-10-02
The pond is chilly (Minamoto no Fusaakira) - 939
Collection: Shelter
Tribute to: Fusaakira, Minamoto
| I throw some papers | |
| on the death notices, like -- | |
| sand on a coffin. | |
| Ik strooi papieren | Ich streue Blätter |
| over de doodsberichten -- | auf dem Todesbericht, wie -- |
| als zand op een kist. | Sand auf einem Sarg. |
Amsterdam, 2019-01-07
An empty house (Marga Minco) - 1966
Autobiography "Een leeg huis"
After the Second World War, the Red Cross informed relatives by letter about the death of close family members in a concentration camp
Collection: Blankets of snow
Tribute to: Minco, Marga
| Farewell: we don't eat, | |
| it just seems that way, as you -- | |
| also see in plays. | |
| Afscheid: we eten | Abschied: wir essen |
| niet echt, dat zie je ook wel -- | nicht wirklich, das sieht man auch -- |
| in toneelstukken. | in Theaterstücken. |
Amsterdam, 2018-06-18
A Frisian does not cry (Gerrit Krol) - 1980
Novel "Een Fries huilt niet", chapter 4.1
Collection: After the festivities
Tribute to: Krol, Gerrit
| Silent lovers, so | |
| reluctantly side by side: | |
| this very last time. | |
| Stille geliefden, | Stille Liebende, |
| zo onwillig naast elkaar: | widerwillig zusammen: |
| voor het laatst samen. | dieses letzte Mal. |
Amsterdam, 2017-05-02
And as they sat next to each other (Henricus Keuls) - 1949
Poem "En toen zij zaten naast elkaar" (collection "Om de stilte")
Collection: Loves Tricks Gains Pains in the years 1940-1959
Tribute to: Keuls, Henricus
|
We had tea without honey |
Amsterdam, 2017-03-12
Collection: Froend
Dedicated to: C W
| Funerals: I am | |
| alive, laughing in the sun -- | |
| like a shard of glass. | |
| Begrafenissen: | Beerdigungen: |
| we leven, lachend als glas- | in der Sonne lachen, wie -- |
| scherven in de zon. | eine Glasscherbe. |
Amsterdam, 2014-05-25
Shards of glass in the sun (Herman de Coninck) - 1982
Poem "Glasscherven in de zon" (collection "De hectaren van het geheugen")
Collection: Shortages
Tribute to: De Coninck, Herman
| Clumsily we search | |
| for words to say the goodbye -- | |
| gloaming between us. | |
| Onhandig zoeken | Ungeschickt suchen |
| we naar woorden: het afscheid -- | wir nach Worten: der Abschied -- |
| schemert tussen ons. | dämmert zwischen uns. |
Amsterdam, 2013-10-13
Collection: Life line
| You left me behind, | |
| in the sun, but with a cloud -- | |
| drifting in my mind. | |
| Je liet mij achter, | Von dir verlassen, |
| in de zon, maar met een wolk -- | wohl in der Sonne, aber -- |
| in mijn gedachten. | mit Wolken im Kopf. |
Amsterdam, 2011-12-06
Taken from poem 0124. Entry PUA (0123. Inschrijving POZ, December 28th, 2008)
Collection: Moons
Dedicated to: Mark H, Marijke T
|
One of the many |
Vaison-la-Romaine, 2008-12-28
Collection: Moons
Dedicated to: C W
|
In the tearoom, we pretend |
Train Amsterdam-Nijmegen, 2007-03-09
Collection: Migration
Dedicated to: C W
|
We eat a fresh caught crab fish |
Train-journey through Germany, 2005-10-13
Collection: Life line
