We sit together,

in the flowering garden --


of a long shared life.


Samen aan tafel,Gemeinsam am Tisch,
in de bloeiende tuin van --im voll erblühten Garten --

een gedeeld leven.unseres Lebens.

Poem H6227
Amsterdam, 2026-05-02
On a garden photo by Jeroen Redel

Garden

Collection: More
Dedicated to: Ada S 
 

A text wraps up our

marriage certificate: bound --


to you, I am free.


Ons trouwboekje isUnser Trauschein ist
in tekst gehuld: gebonden --in Text gehüllt: gebunden --

aan jou ben ik vrij.an dich, bin ich frei.

Poem H6190
Amsterdam, 2026-03-28
we. here. now. yes (Maud Vanhauwaert) - 2020
Poem "Wijl gij mijn vrouw zijt, min ik u" ("While you are my wife, I love you", 1966, Raymond Herreman), published in: Dietsche Warande en Belfort (1966), and in the collection "Wankelbaar evenwicht" (1967), and poem "wij. hier. nu. ja" ("we. here. now. yes", 2020, Maud Vanhauwaert), published in the collection "het stad in mij", chapter 21, We. Here. Now. Yes.
Collection: Loves Tricks Gains Pains in the years 2020-2029
Tribute to: Vanhauwaert, Maud; Herreman, Raymond 
 

We are truly one,

because I could not manage --


to leave you for good.


We zijn een eenheid,Wir sind eins, denn ich
want het is me niet gelukt --habe es nicht geschafft um --

van jou weg te gaan.dich zu verlassen.

Poem S2859
Amsterdam, 2025-08-09
You can't leave (Frida Vogels) - 1994
Verse "Weggaan", published in the collection "De harde kern 3" ("The hard core 3", part IX [Marriage]) and in "Diary 1968-1969" (2010) - August 18th, 1968, Bologna
Collection: Between us
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida 
 

Look at her, she loves

him, a wonderful feeling --


to hold forever.


Kijk, ze houdt van hem,Guck, sie liebt ihn sehr,
dat is een heerlijk gevoel --ein wunderbares Gefühl --

om vast te houden.das sie gern festhält.

Poem H5643
Amsterdam, 2025-06-28
With a photo of Michi embracing Pieter, taken during a video call (January 26th, 2014, Grossdietwil)

Michi and Pieter

Collection: More
Dedicated to: Michi W, Madelief dK 
 

Home, with each other:

delicate, fragrant flowers --


blossoming with love.


Bij elkaar thuis zijn:Beieinander zu
een en al liefde, tere --Hause: zarte, duftende --

geurende bloemen.Blumen der Liebe.

Poem H5591
Amsterdam, 2025-06-07
With a photo of Dory in her apartment in De Cocksdorp, with sweet pea (lathyrus odoratus), July 21st, 1990, Texel

Dory

Collection: The Big Secret
Dedicated to: Lotte W, Madelief dK, Dory dK 
 

Could anyone's love

ever be measured? Maybe --


only when it's lost?


Kun je liefde ooitKönnte man Liebe
meten? Misschien alleen als --je messen? Vielleicht nur, wenn --

ze verloren gaat?sie verloren geht?

Poem H5574
Amsterdam, 2025-06-03
Written on the Body (Jeanette Winterson) - 1992
Novel, opening line: Why is the measure of love loss?
Collection: The Big Secret
Tribute to: Winterson, Jeanette 
 

Vulnerable in

the tent, yet strong, hands and eyes --


lying together.


Kwetsbaar in de tent,Verletzbar im Zelt,
en sterk, handen en ogen --und stark, Händen und Augen --

liggend in elkaar.liegen zusammen.

Poem H5563
Amsterdam, 2025-06-01
With a photo of Paul and Dory in a tent (July 16th, 1990, Beilen, Drenthe), camping De Moraine

In a tent

Collection: Eyes lips chest and belly
Dedicated to: Lotte W, Dory dK, Paul J 
 

I'm loving you so,

and you know it, so I don't --


have to be tactful.


Ik houd van jou enIch liebe dich und
dat weet je, daarom hoef ik --du weißt es, deshalb muss ich --

niet tactvol te zijn.nicht sehr taktvoll sein.

Poem H5138
Amsterdam, 2024-12-21
A Severed Head (Iris Murdoch) - 1964
Play (1964, Iris Murdoch and John B. Priestley), based on the novel "A Severed Head" (1961, Iris Murdoch), 1st act, 1st scene
Collection: Dreams of love
Tribute to: Murdoch, Iris 
 

Can only brave love

travel through Black Holes, faster --


than the speed of light?


Kan alleen liefdeKann nur die Liebe
door Zwarte Gaten reizen --durch Schwarze Löcher reisen --

sneller dan het licht?schneller als das Licht?

Poem H5108
Amsterdam, 2024-12-02
Tanglewreck (Jeanette Winterson) - 2006
Novel, (chapter 26 True Lies, and) chapter 27 Speed of Light
Collection: Loves Tricks Gains Pains in the years 2000-2009
Tribute to: Winterson, Jeanette 
 

I like being with

him, although I don't want to --


crown this love of ours.


Ik ben graag bij hem,Ich hab ihn gerne,
al wil ik deze liefde --auch wenn ich diese Liebe --

niet gaan bekronen.nicht krönen möchte.

Poem H4945
De Koog, 2024-09-28
The perpetual motion machine of love (Renate Dorrestein) - 1988
Novel "Het perpetuum mobile van de liefde", chapter 1 Zet eens een kroon op uw liehiefde (Crown your lo-ove) - Beget a child
Collection: Lack
Tribute to: Dorrestein, Renate 
 

Skew mirror image,

from our dual unity --


We seem so twisted.


Ons spiegelbeeld trektUnser Spiegelbild
scheef van onze twee-eenheid --ist schief von der Zwei-Einheit --

We lijken verknipt.Wir scheinen verdreht.

Poem S1301
Amsterdam, 2021-12-27
Collection: Metamorphic body
Dedicated to: Mark H, Marijke T 
 

Zywa Witness of your life

You look so sweet at me
I don't have to dream about it
that you love me

but the romantic heart
in my head is afraid and
wants the best, lifelong

happiness, the greatest imaginable
in short, love, the eternal
always praised love

that you don't see around you
because, you know, people in love
can hardly live

without each other in their minds
but I want to be mature and
restart our relationship

after every crisis, or not
and always cherish what we have
experienced, what nobody else has

taken part in

Poem 2723
Amsterdam, 2020-02-23
Collection: More
 

Zywa What I want to say

Fortunately, you know
what I want to say
what I feel with you

and that you, we, together
just simply, nothing much
just simply is already special

with you, understanding each other
with a look, naturally
with a word of ours alone

that it is and remains that way, the way
we are, changing and yet
we are the way it is nice

you all know that, but
tonight I feel it so strongly
tonight I say it aloud

Poem 1856
Amsterdam, 2018-10-01
Collection: It takes a lot of tries to make a début
 

We are as the beach

and the sea: you never leave --


and I will return.


Wij zijn als het strandWir sind wie der Strand
en de zee: jij gaat nooit weg --und das Meer: du gehst nie, und --

en ik kom terug.ich komme zurück.

Poem H2099
Amsterdam, 2018-05-18
Like the beach and the sea (Herman de Coninck) - 1983
Poem "Zoals het strand en de zee" (collection "Gedichten 1983"); published in 1884
Collection: Shortages
Tribute to: De Coninck, Herman 
 

Zywa aiMe

Just going to bed alone
at midnight, it makes no sense
to warm his place for him
or to guess in recovery position
where he could be

At times I find an M
in a heart somewhere
with a smile
I put that note
in my yearbook

When I go peeing at night
I see him lie, being awake
enough to get confused
by the odour of his sleep
and then I have to wait

Take all the time in the morning
For love

Poem 1655
Amsterdam, 2018-01-20
Collection: More
 

I'm nowhere really

alone as myself: always --


he's awaiting me.


Ik ben nergens echtIch bin nirgendwo
alleen als mijzelf: altijd --allein wie ich selbst: immer --

wacht hij weer op mij.wartet er auf mich.

Poem H1780
Ufhusen, 2017-08-25
Diary 1954-1957 (Frida Vogels) - 2005
"Dagboek 1954-1957" - August 26th, 1957, Rome
Collection: ThereFrom
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida 
 

Zywa Without words

You don't have to say a thing
not even my name
we walk a bit

from embrace to embrace
securing all the preceding
deep in our belly

Maybe there is too much
to discuss, but soon
half words will be enough

and we will kiss each other
with poetic sentences
full of love in their gaps

like our whole life is
an agenda full of gaps
filled with friends

care and roses
experiences deep in our belly
kept without words

Poem 1417
Amsterdam, 2017-06-18
Collection: Lilith's Powers
 

Zywa In my hands, in your hands

Don't come closer, don't
talk about all kinds of things
I love you

If you agree, please
let my hands speak
I love you

Questions are just thoughts
your body does know better
I love you

You can't prove love
though there is proof enough
I love you

My love is always there

but not always
available, yet
then there is yours

Poem 1216
Amsterdam, 2017-03-14
Collection: Webgarden
 

Zywa I read you

At the night-lamp, I read you
in my agendas, I stroke the blanket
over your body and lie

awake between the sheets
on the hard question what
more should I have

not done but been
today? I listen
to you and the world

of footsteps, a door
the flush of the toilet
at the neighbours and the silence

of doing nothing next to the turmoil
in your bowels, drizzly
was the day, but

with siskins and sips
of ristretto, with your shoulder
leaned against mine

How often have we done that?

Poem 985
Amsterdam, 2017-01-30
Collection: Take a picture, now
 

Zywa Different

Circumstances, difficulties, and
your behaviour lately, I don't know
myself that way

although I can see better
who I am, and you, we
and how things are going

Unsolicited, I just have to
make the best
of it again

What else?
Two, three things
now you that you ask

If it's possible
And then make the best of it
together

Poem 923
Amsterdam, 2016-12-28
Collection: Dearme
Dedicated to: Maria Godschalk 
 

Even when we're not

together, I feel your love --


and I'm one with you.


Ik voel jouw liefde,Auch wenn du weg bist,
ook als we niet samen zijn --spüre ich deine Liebe --

ben ik één met jou.bin ich eins mit dir.

Poem H1553
Vaison-la-Romaine, 2016-10-11
Collection: More
 

I sail out as if

I'm arriving, that's how fast --


you leave beside me.


Ik vaar uit alsofIch fahre ab, als
ik aankom, zo snel vertrekt --käme ich an, so schnell läufst --

jouw zeilboot naast mij.du neben mir aus.

Poem S0089
Amsterdam, 2013-08-01
Collection: The climbing house
 

My darling asks why

I don't do what I don't do --


and he's fond of me.


Mijn lief vraagt waaromMein Freund fragt, warum
ik niet doe wat ik niet doe --ich nicht tu, was ich nicht tu --

en hij houdt van me.und er hat mich gern.

Poem S0057
Amsterdam, 2012-03-08
Collection: Take a picture, now
 

We kiss each other,

know nothing, know everything --


that we do not know.


We kussen elkaar,Einander küssen,
weten niets, weten alles --nichts wissen, alles wissen --

wat we niet kennen.was wir nicht kennen.

Poem H0208
Amsterdam, 2012-02-12
Dedicated to Lotte, Madelief, Dory, and Paul in 2025, with a photo of Paul and Dory with an ice cream (July 1979, Les Arcs)

Dory and Paul

Collection: Webgarden
Dedicated to: Lotte W, Madelief dK, Dory dK, Paul J 
 

 

 
The couple
Beek (Berg en Dal), 1985-01-06
India ink on paper
Collection: Pencil 
Dedicated to: Lucy J, Harry S 
 

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