The waiter serves us

like a sick person being --


controlled remotely.


De ober bedientDer Kellner bedient
ons als een zieke, die op --uns wie ein Todkranker, der --

afstand bestuurd wordt.ferngesteuert wird.

Poem H6391
Amsterdam, 2026-08-23
Then Mother came with a knife (Nicolien Mizee) - 2003
Novel "Toen kwam moeder met een mes", chapter 1
Collection: In the light
Tribute to: Mizee, Nicolien 
 

Zywa Richness

Of course, friendships are also there
for companionship, confirmation
and help, and to discover
and admire one another

but above all, you need them
to get to know yourself
and to get an idea of
??what your life is all about

Friends and strangers broaden
your thoughts, their boundaries
They direct your gaze
toward aspects you overlooked

allow them to resonate within you
and to open up a deeper knowing
of the multiplicity and the richness
of being human

Poem 6081
Amsterdam, 2026-07-15
Collection: The climbing house
 

Zywa Running wheel

Am I a profiteer
of fellow sufferers, if
I decide that I am sick now?

It would change the world
wrongly: higher costs
a lower return
and the system remains

if not enough people
beyond participating or not participating
live with less, and thus more
natural humanity

without a whip
to live together
outside the running wheel

Poem 6027
Amsterdam, 2026-05-11
Collection: Inflictions
 

Zywa The Flock

Groups are always moving
They are not a dead weight
each member follows
with pulling and pushing
the heartbeat of the whole

regardless of the chirping
of the birds that fly ahead
but do not lead, that are
a frayed edge of the flock

When danger threatens
they veer away, and again
when it isn't over
Fleeing ever further
for refuge, they shit

the world white, black
every shade of brown
and don't know
what to do

The green withers
the branches break
the neighbours snatch
away the food and
the group falls apart

Poem 5880
Amsterdam, 2026-02-11
Collection: The drama
 

God may intervene,

but even then people will --


remain as they were.


God grijpt soms in, maarGott greift manchmal ein,
ook dan blijven de mensen --aber selbst dann bleiben die --

zoals ze waren.Menschen dieselben.

Poem H6096
Amsterdam, 2026-02-11
Collection: A Home
 

Zywa Soft protest

I watch it, the exercise
of the law of the strongest
and my silent protest

pains me, it makes
my heart cramp and
burdens my love with worry

Others take to the streets
but the new old, hardened
rules are armed

and do not break, that's why
I lie there massaging
and softening myself

The clouds nod slightly
In my mind, the wind lies down
and the birds hold their breath

You have to do it yourself
whispers Helping Hand
The air vibrates softly

with the words, yes, I must
remain soft, and make not the hard
but the soft stronger

Poem 5814
Amsterdam, 2026-01-10
Collection: The Yellow House Museum
 

Zywa The brain program

When I go out, I do that in the park
I approach you for a chat: so
you're here on vacation

and you think Amsterdam is a nice city?
Quite different from home, yes, what you say
I feel the same way, that's how it is

It goes for everyone
don't you think? You're young
but I know that

One has to experience it
if possible, that's good
people need it

yes, really, that's how we are
I hear it no differently
Yes, from many countries

I speak people, young and old
and all of us have those thoughts
and those wishes

Poem 5752
Amsterdam, 2025-12-14
Collection: Metamorphic body
 

Take care of yourself

and each other, that duty --


comes before your rights.


Zorg voor jezelf enSorge für dich selbst
voor elkaar, want die plicht gaat --und einander, die Pflicht geht --

boven je rechten.vor deinen Rechten.

Poem H5994
Amsterdam, 2025-11-01
The root of the problem (Arnold Marinissen) - 2023
Composition "La racine du mal" (based on the essay "L'enracinement - Prélude à une déclaration des devoirs envers l'être humain" ["The need for roots - Prelude towards a declaration of duties towards mankind", 1952] by Simone Weil from 1943), performed by Raymond Honing (bass flute), Agathe Labadie (voice, sampled), and Arnold Marinissen (fixed media) in the Organpark on November 1st, 2025
Collection: org anp ARK 
Tribute to: Weil, Simone 
Composer: Marinissen, Arnold 
 

Humanity will

end. That's not a prediction --


It is happening.


Het einde van deDas Ende der Mensch-
mensheid is geen voorspelling --heit: keine Vorhersage,

Het gebeurt gewoon.es passiert einfach.

Poem H5961
Amsterdam, 2025-09-28
Interview with Midas Dekkers - 2025
Interview by Anne Dohmen, in the NRC of September 27th, 2025 - "I don't have to predict the end times, it will happen automatically" (long-term perspective)
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Tribute to: Dekkers, Midas 
 

People aren't easy,

they're full of expectations --


that keep pushing you.


Mensen zijn moeilijk,Menschen sind schwierig,
ze hebben verwachtingen --sie haben Erwartungen --

die aan je trekken.die einen drängen.

Poem H5672
Amsterdam, 2025-07-08
In foreign parts - Chronicles (Frida Vogels) - 2024
Autobiography "In den vreemde - Kronieken", chapter 'Kees en ik' ('Neil and I') - March 2oth, 1983, Bologna
Collection: Helices
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida 
 

I'm differently

myself, feeling more human --


feeling less woman.


Nu ben ik andersIch bin anders ich,
mezelf, voel ik me meer mens --fühle mich mehr als Mensch und --

en minder een vrouw.weniger als Frau.

Poem H5334
Amsterdam, 2025-03-20
Collection: Helices
Dedicated to: Maria Godschalk 
 

Shakespeare was human

like us, which refutes a lot --


of books about him.


Shakespeare was een mensShakespeare war ein Mensch
zoals wij, dat weerlegt veel --wie wir, das widerlegt viel --

studies over hem.Wissen über ihn.

Poem H4878
Amsterdam, 2024-08-26
The Black Prince (Iris Murdoch) - 1973
Comical novel, A Celebration of Love, part Two
Collection: Dreams of love
Tribute to: Murdoch, Iris; Shakespeare, William 
 

If you watch calmly

you see people's behaviour --


is quite comical.


Als je rustig kijktSchau ruhig zu, dann
zie je dat de mensen zich --sieht man, dass sich die Menschen --

grappig gedragen.komisch verhalten.

Poem H4870
Amsterdam, 2024-08-23
The Black Prince (Iris Murdoch) - 1973
Comical novel, A Celebration of Love, part One
Collection: Dreams of love
Tribute to: Murdoch, Iris 
 

Would it be wisdom

that we often have to laugh --


at our behaviour?


Zou het wijsheid zijnWäre es Weisheit,
dat we vaak moeten lachen --dass wir oft lachen müssen --

om elkaars gedrag?über einander?

Poem H4871
Amsterdam, 2024-08-23
The Black Prince (Iris Murdoch) - 1973
Comical novel, A Celebration of Love, part One - Thinking of gurus and dalai lamas
Collection: Dreams of love
Tribute to: Murdoch, Iris 
 

Once white, always white,

and black is black, but colours --


never come alone.


Eens wit, altijd wit,Weiß bleibt Weiß, und Schwarz
en zwart is zwart, maar kleuren --Schwarz, aber eine Farbe --

komen nooit alleen.kommt nie alleine.

Poem H4192
Amsterdam, 2023-10-05
6. narrative of the park farmer (Antjie Krog) - 2000
Poem "6. narratief van die parkboer" (collection "Kleur kom nooit alleen nie")
Collection: Appearances
Tribute to: Krog, Antjie 
 

All vices and crimes:

empathise and know, you are --


capable of it.


Ondeugd en misdaad:Laster, Verbrechen:
leef je in en weet, je bent --fühle dich ein und wisse --

zelf ertoe in staat.du könntest das auch.

Poem H4091
Amsterdam, 2023-08-30
The waiter and the living (Simon Vestdijk) - 1949
Actors and people. Nothing human is alien to me.
Novel "De kellner en de levenden", chapter VII. Rehearsals

Collection: Inmost [2]
Tribute to: Vestdijk, Simon 
 

Zywa The trick of sex

Anatomy is simple
there are billions of examples
of women like me

reproduction chambers
in a sturdy pelvis
bowels full of building blocks around it

That is the round core
of my body, my existence
Two mighty legs underneath

to get the food
and a thin superstructure
for support services

I'm used to it, I learned
to like it, that's the trick
of sex

The rest is also imagination
my ethics and my civilization
Together with you, I believe in it

Poem 2607
Amsterdam, 2020-01-03
Collection: Eyes lips chest and belly
 

Love poetry eight

hundred years old is still sung --


from a bleeding heart.


Poëzie van achtUralte Liebes-
honderd jaren gezongenpoesie, gesungen aus --

uit een bloedend hart.blutendem Herzen.

Poem H2183
Amsterdam, 2018-06-17
Mahsa Vahdat (Teheran 1973) sings poems by Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207-1273), accompanied by the Kronos Quartet
Collection: Greeting from before
Tribute to: Rumi, Mohamed 
 

You see: it's not good,

but there's nothing you can do --


It is everywhere.


Kijk, het is niet goed,Es ist nicht gut, nun
maar er is niets aan te doen --ja, da kann man nichts machen --

Het is overal.Es ist überall.

Poem S0606
Amsterdam, 2017-12-21
It wasn't good. He saw it, every little thing He had created (Frida Vogels) - 2013
Verse "Het was niet goed. Hij zag het, ieder klein ding dat Hij geschapen had", published in "Diary 1974-1976" - January 26th, 1975, Bologna
Collection: Overwritten
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida 
 

I express what I

feel at the world news: Listen!


They are just like us!


Ik uit wat ik voelIch sage, was ich
bij het wereldnieuws: Luister!über die Welt fühle: Hört!

Zij zijn net als wij!Sie da sind wie wir!

Poem S0514
Amsterdam, 2017-08-10
The hard core - 1, and Diary 1968-1969 (Frida Vogels) - 1992
Autobiographical account "De harde kern" - 1 (1992), and "Dagboek 1968-1969" (2010) - December 25th, 1969, Bologna
Collection: Between us
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida 
 

Apartment building:

variations of people --


Kisses and quarrels.


Daar, onder de flat:Unter dem Wohnhaus:
variaties van mensen --Mensch-Variationen --

Kussen en ruzies.Küsse und Streite.

Poem H1110
Amsterdam, 2015-01-28
My struggle 5. Some Rain Must Fall (Karl Ove Knausgård) - 2010
Autobiographical novel "Min Kamp. Femte bok", part 6 - 1989, Bergen
Collection: Leaving
Tribute to: Knausgård, Karl Ove 
 

I do have the same

needs as you, after all, we --


are another you.


Ik heb dezelfdeIch habe gleiche
behoeftes als jij, wij zijn --Bedürfnisse wie du, wir --

een andere jij.sind andere Du's.

Poem H0342
Amsterdam, 2012-08-14
Maya saying: "in lakéch" (I am another you)
Collection: The drama
 

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