When I was younger

I wanted to change the world --


now I let it go.


Vroeger wilde ikFrüher wollte ich
de wereld veranderen --die Welt verändern, und jetzt --
nu laat ik haar los.lasse ich sie los.

Poem H5901
Amsterdam, 2025-08-29
Diary 1974-1976 (Frida Vogels) - 2013
"Dagboek 1974-1976" - April 4th, 1974, Amsterdam
Collection: Overwritten
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida 
 

The ideal person:

would he be loved, or would he --


destroy everything?


De idealeDer Idealmensch:
mens: zou hij geliefd zijn, of --geliebt? Oder würde er --
alles verwoesten?alles zerstören?

Poem S2549
Amsterdam, 2025-02-05
Helena, the wife of Menelaus of Sparta, was fathered by the supreme god to end overpopulation
Non-physical ideals (concepts) can also have devastating consequences

Collection: Froend
 

Power is maintained

with traps, purity exists --


in a prison cell.


Macht wordt gehandhaafdMacht wird durch Fallen
met valstrikken, zuiverheid --erhalten, Reinheit gibt es --
bestaat in een cel.in einer Zelle.

Poem S2308
Amsterdam, 2024-08-12
The Three Arrows (Iris Murdoch) - 1972
Play, Act Two, scene Five
Collection: Stall
Tribute to: Murdoch, Iris 
 

The Kingdom of Love -

Does that mean anything? All?


Or is it a dream?


Rijk van de Liefde -Das Reich der Liebe -
Betekent dat iets? Alles?Bedeutet das etwas? Alles?
Of is het een droom?Oder träume ich?

Poem H4704
Amsterdam, 2024-06-15
Victory City (Salman Rushdie) - 2023
Novel "Victory City" [Vijayanagar >> Bisnaga, based on Fatehpur Sikri ('Victory City', near Agra), the capital of Emperor Abdul-Fath Jalaluddin 'Akbar' (= 'the Great' >> 'Akbar the Great')], part 3 Glory, chapter 15
Collection: Low gear
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman 
 

To heavenly goals

lead only untrodden paths --


only worldly paths.


Naar een hemels doelZum himmlischen Ziel
leidt een ongebaande weg --führt ein ungebahnter Weg --
een wereldse weg.ein weltlicher Weg.

Poem H4636
Amsterdam, 2024-05-23
Quichotte (Salman Rushdie) - 2019
Novel, part 1, chapter 7
Collection: Low gear
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman 
 

Waiving happiness

and suffering for the truth:


a better country.


Afzien van gelukAuf Glück verzichten
en lijden voor de waarheid --und leiden für die Wahrheit:
van een beter land.ein besseres Land.

Poem H4587
Amsterdam, 2024-03-30
The Moor's Last Sigh (Salman Rushdie) - 1995
Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru
Novel, chapter "A house divided", (1-) 3

Collection: Low gear
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman 
 

It is nice to dream,

if only you walk with me --


starwalking with me.


Ik wil wel dromen,Ich möchte träumen,
als jij maar met me meegaat --möchte, dass du mit mir gehst --
mee sterrenlopen.beim Sternenlaufen.

Poem H4160
Amsterdam, 2023-09-16
Starwalking (Wende Snijders) - 2023
Song "Sterrenlopen" (album "Sterrenlopen), sung with S10
Collection: Passage Passion
Tribute to: Snijders, Wende 
 

I'm virginally

on fire, pure and soot-free; watch --


my wick remains white.


Ik sta maagdelijkIch steh jungfräulich
in brand, zuiver en roetvrij --in Flammen, rein und rußfrei --
ook mijn lont blijft wit.auch mein Docht bleibt weiß.

Poem S1148
Amsterdam, 2021-03-20
Fever 103° (Sylvia, Plath) - 1962
Poem
Collection: Actively Passive
Tribute to: Plath, Sylvia 
 

The perfect woman

is from marble, and barefoot --


she stays where she is.


De volmaakte vrouwDie perfekte Frau
is van marmer, en blootsvoets --ist aus Marmor, und barfuß --
blijft ze waar ze is.bleibt sie, wo sie ist.

Poem S1149
Amsterdam, 2021-03-20
Edge (Sylvia Plath) - 1963
Poem (collection "Ariel")
Collection: Actively Passive
Tribute to: Plath, Sylvia 
 

Zywa Sweet sixteen

Please, leave me alone
I'll figure it out for myself
really, I know what I want and don't
have quite in order yet

Just practice what you preach:
give me freedom, equality
and that brotherhood
whatever it is

I don't need your rules
they're right for whom they are right
and bad for whom they are bad
if you get that

I wish I could be a dragon
I would claw and lash
with my tail, spit fire
and create order

put all problems in a row
to have them solved
and everyone would help the people
who really really need it

Poem 2335
Amsterdam, 2019-07-03
[LATIN] Ordo = queue
Collection: Actively Passive
 

Where is the shotgun

of the revolution now?


What word gives shelter?


Waar is het geweerWo ist das Gewehr
van de revolutie nu?der Revolution jetzt?
In welk woord schuilt het?Welches Wort gibt Schutz?

Poem S0891
Vlissingen, 2019-06-05
Suddenly I thought of the shotgun (José Gomes Ferreira) - 1973
Poem (collection "Poesia V")
Collection: WriteWiser signage 
Tribute to: Gomes Ferreira, Jose 
 

Zywa Vote for myself

I can do it because I think
that I can do better
then another, I better

not think about that
because the need is high
and the opinions are stuck

Filters take the light away
I have to laugh at them
until we are exposed again
to our common sense
and can start again
to enforce
a better world
on the people
who do not trust me

The others will follow
until everything will crash again
and the laughter silenced

will choose someone again
who says he can do better
what no one achieved yet

Poem 2147
Amsterdam, 2019-03-11
Collection: Half The Work
 

Everything passes,

so we have to build bridges --


roads over the sea.


Alles gaat voorbij,Alles geht vorbei,
dus moet je bruggen bouwen --baue deshalb Hochstraßen --
wegen over zee.über dem Weltmeer.

Poem H2390
Amsterdam, 2019-02-09
Proverb - 44. Everything passes and everything remains (Antonio Machado) - 1912
Poem, Proverbio - 44. "Todo pasa y todo queda" (collection "Campos de Castilla")
Collection: Being my own museum
Tribute to: Machado, Antonio 
 

Zywa Female knight

It is my destiny
to be a female knight
awakened in a dark tomb
my soul draws drops of the deep sea
up from the earth

into a fountain of love
which lifts me to float
to the light

It is my destiny
to be a female knight, young
without blemish on my soul
which hangs within me waiting
for reports of a distress

too bad
to check off unseen
I must take action

It is my destiny
to be a female knight, I intervene
and impetuously turn the odds
with superpowers
of good will

Poem 2034
Amsterdam, 2019-01-17
Tristan's ascension (Bill Viola) - 2005
Video for a performance of Wagner's "Tristan and Isolde"
Collection: Migration
 

Zywa Charred crust

My good intentions have returned
undeliverable and broken, they stick
to me like a failed cake

encrusted to the baking tin
in an oven which is set too hot
Stone-hard charred crust

After weeks of rubbing the scratches
continue to itch in my soul, they scream
for attention and recognition



In the station hall, I listen for hours
to the playing of the piano, the messages
and the rustling

of the destination signs
which do not point me any direction
for a journey

to a better world
improvable with people
like me, strangers



At home I keep the curtains closed
the walls have no windows
and there is nothing I want to see

Poem 1153
Amsterdam, 2017-03-07
Collection: Moons
 

In the arms of clouds

I'm climbing up to the light --


that recedes from me.


Omarmd door wolkenVon Wolken umarmt
klim ik omhoog naar het licht --klettere ich zu dem Licht --
dat wegzweeft van mij.das von mir wegschwebt.

Poem S0400
Amsterdam, 2016-10-01
Collection: I am
 

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