Small people do things

as small as they are, that way --


everything stays small.


Kleine mensen doenKleine Menschen tun
alles zo klein als ze zijn --alles so klein, wie sie sind --

Zo blijft alles klein.So bleibt alles klein.

Poem S3281
Amsterdam, 2026-10-17
Short People (Randy Newman) - 1977
Song, album "Little Criminals"
Collection: High gear
Tribute to: Newman, Randy 
 

The king looks at me

by candlelight: he gives light --


and burns up himself.


De koning kijkt mijKönig im Kerzen-
bij kaarslicht aan: hij verlicht --licht: er erleuchtet mich und --

mij, en brandt zelf op.verbrennt dabei selbst.

Poem H6388
Amsterdam, 2026-08-22
Portrait of William III (1650-1702), Prince of Orange, King of England and Stadtholder of the Seven United Netherlands, painted in 1692-1693 by Godfried Schalcken
Collection: The climbing house
 

The College bows be-

fore the rector, around whose --


head a halo shines.


Het college buigtDas Kollegium
voor de rector, om wiens hoofd --verneigt sich vor dem Rektor --

een aureool straalt.mit seinem Nimbus.

Poem H6232
Amsterdam, 2026-05-04
Late (Salman Rushdie) - 2025
Story, paragraph 1, collection "The Eleventh Hour" (page 107)
Collection: Wind
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman 
 

The Emperor: 'We',

after all, he speaks and acts --


on behalf of all.


De keizer is 'Wij',Der Kaiser ist 'Wir',
hij spreekt en handelt immers --schließlich spricht und handelt er --

namens iedereen.im Namen aller.

Poem H4729
Amsterdam, 2024-06-22
The Enchantress of Florence (Salman Rushdie) - 2008
Novel, part 1, chapter 3
Collection: Wind
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman 
 

Loafers try to flee

from the sun that burns its words --


in their very skulls.


Leeglopers vluchtenFaulenzer fliehen
voor de zon die zijn woorden --vor den Worten der Sonne --

brandt in hun schedels.in ihren Schädeln.

Poem H4134
Amsterdam, 2023-09-10
A Change of tongue (Antjie Krog) - 2003
In 1954, D.L.P. Yali-Manisi, imbongi (court jester) of the Thembu-clan calls on Prince Nelson Mandela to speak out
Tale, part 3 § 2

Collection: Known
Tribute to: Krog, Antjie; Mandela, Nelson 
 

Waiting for the train

while lying down on the track --


is not leadership.


Op de trein wachtenAuf den Zug warten,
terwijl je op de rails ligt --während man auf dem Gleis liegt --

is geen leiderschap.ist keine Führung.

Poem S1908
Amsterdam, 2023-09-09
Neither a wise man (Dwight Eisenhower) - 1952
"Neither a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history to wait for the train of the future to run over him." (Dwight Eisenhower, in Time on October 6th, 1952)
Collection: High gear
Tribute to: Eisenhower, Dwight 
 

Assemblies will be

held to elect the leaders --


who will seize power.


Bijeenkomsten, omVersammlungen zur
de leiders te kiezen, die --Wahl der Führer, die die Macht --

de macht gaan grijpen.ergreifen werden.

Poem H4099
Amsterdam, 2023-09-01
The shining armour (Simon Vestdijk) - 1956
Novel "Het glinsterend pantser", chapter 2-VIII. Before and after history of a boat trip
Collection: Inmost [2]
Tribute to: Vestdijk, Simon 
 

I'm not myself, I

have to blow myself up big --


as big as my chair.


Ik ben mezelf niet,Ich bin nicht ich selbst,
ik moet me groot opblazen --ich muss mich groß aufblasen --

zo groot als mijn stoel.so groß wie mein Stuhl.

Poem S1659
Amsterdam, 2023-02-06
The Office - The A.P. Beerta Institute (Han Voskuil) - 1998
Novel "Het Bureau - Het A.P. Beerta-Instituut"
Page 229, Maarten Koning (and Bart Asjes) after a department meeting (1976)

Collection: Frustration
Tribute to: Voskuil, Han 
 

A department head

should protect the employees --


like an umbrella.


Een afdelingshoofdAbteilungsleiter
beschermt de medewerkers --schützen die Mitarbeiter --

als een paraplu.wie ein Regenschirm.

Poem H3594
Amsterdam, 2022-12-02
The Office - Plankton (Han Voskuil) - 1997
Novel "Het Bureau - Plankton"
Page 538, Maarten Koning, Ad Muller and Bart Asjes (1974)

Collection: Dirty hands
Tribute to: Voskuil, Han 
 

Zywa The Royal Child (Full summer)

Everything flows easily
I also rely on that
I do what I like

In the eyes of others
I sit on a throne, so
they ask for my guidance

and I pay attention
to what they want to achieve
It costs me the freedom

to go my own way
but the better I see
what people do, understanding

the course of lives better
and sometimes I can lead them
I don't have a guide myself

and I always have to
step off the throne
and step back by myself

Poem 4141
Amsterdam, 2021-11-25
Collection: The Yellow House Museum
 

Zywa Quartermaster

I'm a servant, I give -- space
to inspiration and objections
I fill myself with wishes
and pour them out into decisions
until contentment flows over

I don't hear complainers complain
they encourage, never getting lost
in expectations

The profit is just a balance
of round-off differences
expenditure becomes income
in the space -- of the living together
where everyone is in the middle

of nowhere special, nowhere people
everywhere, on their way to nowhere
because they are already there

Poem 3838
Amsterdam, 2021-06-14
Nowhere Man (John Lennon, The Beatles) - 1965
Song (album "Rubber Soul")
Chairmanship

Collections: Lilith's Powers, Life line 
Tribute to: Lennon, John; The Beatles 
 

The court is busy,

buzzing and dancing around --


the sovereign king.


Drukte aan het hof,Betrieb am Hofe,
iedereen danst zoemend rond --jeder summt und tanzt herum --

koning majesteit.um seine Hoheit.

Poem H2415
Amsterdam, 2019-03-26
Springtime (Jeroen Eisinga) - 2010
Performance
Collection: On living on [2]
Tribute to: Eisinga, Jeroen 
 

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