Zywa A sad song

She sang the saddest songs
heartbreaking beautifully, and I
played with her
in the band, on the way
her hand lay in mine

I was happy, free everywhere
and with her, ah, for a short time
she left and she did not return
Now I just sing
sad songs about her

We were free, everything
was everywhere, and nothing
to lose, because we were
together, and still
I love her

Poem 6021
Amsterdam, 2026-05-09
Me and Bobby McGee (Kris Kristofferson) - 1969
Song, sung by Roger Miller (1969, album "Roger Miller" [1969]), and Janis Joplin (1971, album "Pearl")
Collection: Reaching out
Tribute to: Kristofferson, Kris; Joplin, Janis 
 

The sky, the towers,

it's all grey, there, the waters --


open up for me.


De lucht, de torens,Himmel und Türme,
alles grijs, daar, het water --alles grau, dort, das Wasser --

opent zich voor mij.wird sich mir öffnen.

Poem S3021
Amsterdam, 2025-12-03
Marieke (Jacques Brel) - 1961
Collection: Loves Tricks Gains Pains in the years 1960-1979
Tribute to: Brel, Jacques 
 

The traffic light stopped,

I sweep yesterday aside --


The wind cries your name.


Het stoplicht staat stil,Die Ampel steht still,
ik veeg gisteren aan kant --Gestern ist kaputt, der Wind --

De wind huilt jouw naam.schreit deinen Namen.

Poem H5956
Amsterdam, 2025-09-20
And the Wind Cries Mary (Jimi Hendrix) - 1967
Song (Jimi Hendrix Experience), album "Are you experienced"
Collection: Loves Tricks Gains Pains in the years 1960-1979
Tribute to: Hendrix, Jimi 
 

You do not want me,

it is empty inside me --


There is room for you.


Jij wilt mij niet meer,Du willst mich nicht mehr,
het is leeg in mij, veel plaats --in mir ist es leer, da ist --

is er vrij voor jou.so viel Platz für dich.

Poem S2780
Amsterdam, 2025-07-18
This is for you; now that I can't talk to you anymore (Frida Vogels) - 1994
Poem "Dit is voor jou; nu ik je niet meer spreken kan", published in the collection "De harde kern 3" ("The hard core 3", part III [Ennio and Kees]) - November 9th, 1956, Rome
Collection: ThereFrom
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida 
 

I'm alive, but why

should that be now that you're dead?


Oh, for good, for good?


Wat is het levenWarum sollte ich
nog voor mij nu jij dood bent?leben, jetzt wo du tot bist?

O, voorgoed, voorgoed?Für immer, immer?

Poem H5304
Amsterdam, 2025-03-11
You are dead (Alessandro Striggio / Claudio Monteverdi) - 1607
Air "Tu se' morta" from the opera "L'Orfeo" ("Orpheus", SV 318), 2nt act - Orpheus
Collection: Love Mind and Death
Tribute to: Striggio, Alessandro 
Composer: Monteverdi, Claudio 
 

My love is leaving

as if I just don't exist --


Farewell, be happy.


Mijn liefste vertrektMein Liebling geht weg,
alsof ik niet meer besta --als ob er mich nicht mehr kennt --

Vaarwel, veel geluk.Leb wohl, sei glücklich.

Poem H5305
Amsterdam, 2025-03-11
Let me die (Ottavio Rinuccinio / Claudio Monteverdi) - 1608
Air "Lasciatemi morire" (SV 22), from the opera "L'Arianna" ("Ariadne", SV 291) - Ariadne
Collection: Love Mind and Death
Tribute to: Rinuccini, Ottavio 
Composer: Monteverdi, Claudio 
 

The empty spaces,

in our bed, at the table --


are waiting for you.


De lege plekken,Die leere Plätze,
in ons bed en aan tafel --in unserem Bett, am Tisch --

wachten nog op jou.warten noch auf dich.

Poem S2584
Amsterdam, 2025-03-01
Jesse (Janis Ian) - 1973
Song, sung in 1973 by Roberta Flack (album "Killing me softly with his song"), in 1974 by Janis Ian (album "Stars"), and in 1975 by Joan Baez (album "Diamonds & Rust")
Collection: Stall
Tribute to: Ian, Janis; Flack, Roberta 
 

What is love now, since

you're gone and I am dying --


in how it was then?


Wat is liefde nog,Was ist Liebe, seit
sinds jij weg bent en ik dood --du weg bist und ich sterbe --

ga in hoe het was?in wie es mal war?

Poem S2585
Amsterdam, 2025-03-01
Love is blind (Janis Ian) - 1976
Song (album "Aftertones")
Collection: After the festivities
Tribute to: Ian, Janis 
 

He left, following

an urgent feeling, simply --


without discussion.


Hij ging weg, volgdeEr ging und folgte
een dringend gevoel, gewoon --einfach nur seinem Gefühl --

zonder overleg.ohne Rücksprache.

Poem S2553
Amsterdam, 2025-02-06
The Uninvited (Vittorio De Seta) - 1969
Film "L'invitata" / "L'invitée"
Collection: Froend
Tribute to: De Seta, Vittorio 
 

If only there was

a sea for my stream of tears --


a chest to cry on.


Was er maar een zeeMir fehlt ein Meer für
voor mijn tranenstroom, een borst --meinen Tränenstrom, eine --

om op te huilen.Brust zum Ausweinen.

Poem H5192
Amsterdam, 2025-01-22
Wenn a hazy stream (Vincenzo Grimani / Georg Friedrich Händel) - 1708
Air "Se vago rio" (Vincenzo Grimani, music Georg Friedrich Händel, HWV83), from the opera "Aminta e Fillide" ("Aminta and Fillide") - Aminta
Collection: Love Mind and Death
Tribute to: Grimani, Vincenzo 
Composer: Handel, Georg Friedrich 
 

I concede, although

I don't want it, does it give --


me any power?


Ik stem ermee in,Gut, ich stimme zu,
al wil ik het niet, misschien --obwohl ich es nicht will, wie --

geeft dat macht aan mij?viel Macht gibt mir das?

Poem S2333
Amsterdam, 2024-08-30
The Message to the Planet (Iris Murdoch) - 1989
Novel, part Three
Collection: Longing and Loss
Tribute to: Murdoch, Iris 
 

Stay, no promises,

just stay, stay with me tonight --


with my lovesickness.


Blijf, ik beloof niets,Bleib, kein Versprechen,
maar blijf, blijf vannacht bij mij --bleib nur bei mir heute Nacht --

vbei meinem Herzschmerz.

Poem H3141
Amsterdam, 2021-12-10
Golden mountains (Frank Boeijen) - 1986
Song "Gouden bergen" (album "In natura")
Collection: After the festivities
Tribute to: Boeijen, Frank 
 

It is great with him,

he is loving me all night --


then it is over.


Het is fijn bij hem,Es ist schön mit ihm,
heel de nacht bemint hij mij --er liebt mich die ganze Nacht --

dan is het voorbij.dann ist es vorbei.

Poem S1072
Amsterdam, 2020-10-25
Lancelot of Denmark (Anonymous, Netherlands) - 1350
Table play "Lanseloet van Denemerken"
Collection: Love Mind and Death
Tribute to: Anon. [Nederland] 
 

Zywa Frozen sparks

Come on, this is our own movie
we'll do another take
I think at night

after peeing, back in bed
I keep redoing it
but you don't participate

and just lie there
sleeping the sleep
that I need so badly

I don't want to flee
but make an effort, fight
for who we can be

and yet I get cold
from you, I freeze
from fear I don't know

My heartbeat, the sparks
of desire do not skip
over

Poem 2966
Amsterdam, 2020-04-27
Collection: Dearme
Dedicated to: Maria Godschalk 
 

Zywa I took your hand, not your name

When the sun does not yet give warmth
I get up with the duvet around me
and half behind the curtain I look
down the street, the first people

don't go anywhere, around the block
with dogs that follow scents
I always find it scary
whether they want to bite me

Again I think of you, of the hours
in which I was waiting for you
in the windowsill half behind the curtain
between reproach and longing
looking down the street

I look at the dogs and I look
at my empty hands
my legally empty hands
unharmed, nothing to tell

You only bit yourself out
of my bare heart
It is cold
I pull the duvet over me

Poem 2949
Amsterdam, 2020-04-21
Collection: Dearme
Dedicated to: Maria Godschalk 
 

Zywa María, 18 years old

The gravedigger knew your feelings
for me, your free hero from Havana
He called me and gave the address

of the morgue where you were
I kissed you, your forehead
glowing ice-cold upon my lips

I kissed the hand on your stomach
and also your white shoes, no
I couldn't say goodbye

Oh María, you walked into the river
where you died of love
because you saw me

back in your city, married
to Carmen from Mexico, the woman
you wanted to be so badly

We bury you in silk
surround you with jasmine
and cover you with lilies

Poem 2793
Amsterdam, 2020-03-17
The girl from Guatemala (José Martí) - 1891
Poem "Poema IX" ("La niña de Guatemala")
Collection: Untwisted
Tribute to: Marti, José 
 

Zywa Since you sleep elsewhere

Since you sleep elsewhere, the sun is slumbering
High above us, it shines
less bright, less hot

It no longer devours me
after dawn, it doesn't even call me
awake, getting up takes me a lot of trouble

Only in the afternoon does my blood flow
from its light and does the sun carry
the weight of my worries

Then my heart can fly
like a dragon, if necessary I get lost
forever in heaven

and I'll stay with the sun, the sun
that oversees everything, knows everything
and warms everything

Poem 2566
Amsterdam, 2019-12-23
Lament about the sun (Laura Cahen) - 2019
Song "La complainte du soleil"
Collection: More
Tribute to: Cahen, Laura 
 

Zywa Within myself

I don't have to think of you
You already had someone else
and it is worse to know that now
than at the time it started

You were having a great time
and didn't miss me
She was desirable
and I was just there

until you left after all
and left me the fantasies
how things might have gone
differently

Poem 2506
Amsterdam, 2019-11-09
Collection: Froend
 

Zywa She knows what I need

You are with hér, but
with my eyes closed
I feel your warmth

in the seat next to me
and not the pain of being
not good enough for you

softer the light falls
on our years, spreading
into the future

I'm dining with a friend
she has gone through it
and says that I'm great

sweet and nice and too good
for men, they are not like us
which unfortunately is so attractive

I don't dare to stay with her
for the night, to lie against her
but she knows what I need

Poem 2507
Amsterdam, 2019-11-09
Collection: Froend
 

Zywa Where are the birds?

It is so quiet outside, never again
will he stand in the loggia, never again
will he look at me, never again

never again will he touch me

I could not sleep, I returned
at the first light to wash and embalm him
his spirit was gone

he was no longer where he lay
and I knelt, embraced his body
and wept the cold cloths wet

His arms were strong as pillars
with bare hands
he could tear a lion to pieces

all the women loved him, they had no rest
walked down the streets and squares
always passing his house

They tossed and dreamed
of his black hair
they grabbed him and did not let go

they wanted to lie in his shadow, put his head
between their breasts, eat honey from his hand
and introduce him to their mother

but he chose me, all night
we made love in the open air
in the sweet scents of pomegranates

The winter and the rains were over
shrubs and trees were blossoming
and birds sang all over the country

Poem 2297
Amsterdam, 2019-06-23
Maria Magdalena (Jerusalem in the year 30 CE)
Song of songs (Song of Solomon)
Judges 14:5,16:29
Collection: The King
 

Zywa Really, I don't cry

You were there
for me, for me
you came as called

even though you ran away
from me, from me
the clouds drift along

and the sharp blown sand
over the deserted beach
oh, the sea, the sea

by the sea, I walk
to a dead end and yet
I keep going

without you, thinking
constantly thinking
of you

you were there for me
really, I don't cry
it's the wind

Poem 2239
Amsterdam, 2019-05-10
Collection: Moons
 

Zywa What can you do?

What are the limits of love?
What can you do with love
that is blowing back

to yourself, return sender?
Should you leave?
But how do you leave

someone you care about?
You feel the barbs
of your love cut

in your happiness
You feel the pain
of the abrasions

the pain under the blood
of your partner
What can you do

to make it better
if it doesn't fit anymore
what you can give each other?

There are limits to love
to what your love can do
if there is no bed

in which it can flow
so it dries out and
your life withers

Poem 2063
Amsterdam, 2019-01-27
Collection: Froend
Dedicated to: Dory dK 
 

Zywa In between normal

Everything has already been said
you long for good times
just like me
     Do you want to leave
     and sleep with friends?

You are afraid
it's not gonna be OK
you wouldn't know how
     Your face says: leave me
     alone for a while

Stay, we are married
to have contact
that is normal
     an intimate harmony
     of your and my normal

We still discover pieces
of the world together
and new bits of ourselves
     we still can continue
     to grow together

I want to be welcome
with you, seriously
not just saying nice words
     without talking
     about what we have promised

I want more tenderness
than the pampering baths
of impetuous energy
     I want our love
     not to be jammed

in unreachable places

Poem 2065
Amsterdam, 2019-01-27
Collection: Dearme
Dedicated to: Maria Godschalk 
 

Zywa Mister Love

I used to play with dolls
imitating the affairs of the aunts
I knew their trump cards

of yearning jealousy
and revenge on the devils
who make you heavenly happy
before they leave

Now I listen to heartbreak songs
without an answer, songs I know
and could sing along, but
inside, they eat me

instead of giving me hold
how to proceed now it's over
although I was sure of him
and of myself

Oh, may Plato and Socrates be right
that Mister Love is a hunter, lean
unwashed and barefoot, but skilled
in mixing poison?

Do I deserve this while he is exculpated
because good luck does accrue to him
but it always escapes him?

Poem 1505
Amsterdam, 2017-08-09
Eros, Love, is the son of Poverty and Abundance
Collection: Froend
 

Zywa Absent

Admit, it is true
you are with her, more and more
               with her, more and more
 in your mind where
you don't let me in
                  let me in

 please talk
with me, I love you
                I love you
 so stop dreaming now
and experience it actually, with me
                                 actually, with me

 don't put me offside
rather say goodbye
        rather goodbye
than ignoring me
and going your own way
         going your own way

 everything about her is shining
you are lost in her
               lost in her
 as if you are in heaven
and don't know the earth anymore
                  don't know me anymore

Poem 1453
Amsterdam, 2017-07-29
Collection: Heart's Delight
 

Zywa Embers

I buy clothes that in summer and winter
match his scarf, the colourful one

out of which not can be
washed my memories

I've hit him
because he started to look like me

demanded that I only wanted him
in our triangle

of attention touch and love
we've met over it

point by point in bed
every nerve cell in my skin

addressed tickled kissed
let glow of eternity

and yet the cold has come
without a cover over my wounds

so I keep stirring up the embers
of the fire that is burning in me

Poem 1302
Amsterdam, 2017-04-24
Collection: Heart's Delight
 

Zywa Do you leave me?

On the floor I listen
to you, far away in the house
the sounds linger somewhere

on their way - you soar
like a bird and suddenly
there are questions diving down

on me, that paralyse me
(Sometimes it's your hands
  around my breasts or your mouth
  your sucking mouth)

The ceiling is empty, nothing
to see, only to feel
but I don't even whisper
I hear your footsteps

go, exposed
without answers
you leave me lying here

I cannot hear you anymore
as if I'm alone
or am I?

Poem 1238
Amsterdam, 2017-03-23
Collection: Froend
 

Zywa Meantime Now

He is gone, I wish he came back
Would he, perhaps, now happen to
have come here to this movie?

That I turn around and he is there
alone, like me, and now
we know how it works

we might make more of it

if he, if he
wants so and seizes this opportunity
before the gong goes, and

if I, if I
dare to look behind
now it is still a break

Poem 1199
Amsterdam, 2017-03-12
Intermission (Edward Hopper) - 1963
Painting
Film "Shirley: visions of reality (2013, Gustav Deutsch)
Collection: NightWatch
Tribute to: Hopper, Edward; Deutsch, Gustav 
 

Zywa Morning sun

In the morning sun, on the bed
at the wide open window
I breathe-in the world and
my breath into the world

I no longer feel love
from him, only his worries
he doesn't want to talk, life
is flowing past us

he is a good man
yet I will leave
for a new home
empty but light and spacious

Poem 1204
Amsterdam, 2017-03-12
Morning sun (Edward Hopper) - 1952
Painting
Film "Shirley: visions of reality (2013, Gustav Deutsch)
Collection: NightWatch
Tribute to: Hopper, Edward; Deutsch, Gustav 
 

Zywa I was hoping

Out of town, take heed
crossing wildlife after sunset
no trespassing and we kept

talking and talking and I saw
how dark it was between the trees
a few steps next to the path

    but I was hoping, hoping
    we would try hard
    and I was hoping, hoping
    we would be honest

At the party
I asked, what do you think
will ideals fail?

and I got angry
because you said yes
and we were arguing

    but I was hoping, hoping
    we would see eye to eye
    because I was hoping, hoping
    for a life with you

Down feathers
are floating in a pond
they have sharp points

there are thumbtacks right before my door
and loose paving stones, they hop
up water that is much too dark

    but I was hoping, hoping
    it would not bother me
    yes I was hoping, hoping
    for your arms around me

Poem 1152
Amsterdam, 2017-03-07
I was hoping (Alanis Morisette) - 1998
Song
Collection: Moons
Tribute to: Morisette, Alanis; Ballard, Glen 
 

Zywa La Fata

I'm just hanging
around the house
all to myself
the pot of tea, the table

the rooms of our house
with its new windows
the scratches in the cabinet
all the presents

that I gave to you
and the poster of the glistening
water on the horizon
with the shadow of a ship

I'm just hanging
around in your absence
incapable of action, so strong
and close is your presence

Poem 836
Amsterdam, 2016-11-19
La Fata: the fairy, the fortune teller
La Fata Morgana = The Fairy Morgan = Morgan Le Fay
Fato = fate
Collection: Silent walk
 

Zywa Maybe one day

It cannot be and yet
you are not with me
you don't feel

what I feel and if, if
we will meet
who knows where and how
the chance seems small
will you quickly look behind

long enough, as if
you didn't see me
or will you ask how I am
what I'm doing, and as if
we were old acquaintances

simply wish me, in the middle
of the street, the very best
one day, maybe?

Poem 234
Amsterdam, 2014-04-29
Elaboration of the last verse of poem 1188. I'll never sway (March 11th, 2017)
Collection: Moons
 

My darling has gone,

and the silence tells me what --


I don't want to know.


Mijn liefste is weg,Mein Liebling ist weg,
de stilte vertelt mij wat --die Stille erzählt mir was --

ik niet weten wil.ich nicht wissen will.

Poem H0052
Amsterdam, 2011-12-02
After poem 0023. Let me forget (0014. Laat me vergeten, October 4th, 1992)
Collection: The King
 

Zywa Our love will rain

Rain tingling on the lake
pinpricks in my skin
under the smooth water surface
I see you for a second
back again

However fast and far the water flows
the stones are still beneath the sand
heavy and visible without self-deceit
Sunk memories come
back again

I do miss you, our love
surrendered to rivers
and shared itself in the sea
once it will rain
back again

Poem 70
Train Amsterdam-Wijchen, 2007-05-10
Collection: Eyes lips chest and belly
 

Zywa Than now

My love, you don't have to say a word
you know that I do know you better
than now, than you
want to endure when you are thinking
of her who likes your company

Your words would not refute
that I apparently am less
than now, than she
whom you give all attention
because you like her company

Your eyes ask her for what
still better is not given
than now, than me
turning into a memory
of who you were, of óur bond

You're getting into feelings
with more significance
than now, than we
than at night the knife that suddenly
lights up in a dream, in my hand

Poem 56
Train Amsterdam-Willisau, 2007-01-11
Collection: Heart's Delight
 

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