My son just badmouths

'those women', and I get it --


By that, he means me.


Mijn zoon geeft zomaarMein Sohn redet schlecht
af op 'die vrouwen', en daar --über 'diese Frauen', und --

bedoelt hij mij mee.damit meint er mich.

Poem H6370
Amsterdam, 2026-08-02
The Penelopiad (Margaret Atwood) - 2005
Novel, chapter 18, News of Helen
Collection: Patterns
Tribute to: Atwood, Margaret 
 

We play. My brother

lifts me up, and swings me right --


over the water.


We spelen. Mijn broerEin Spiel. Mein Bruder
tilt me op, zwiert me even --hebt mich hoch und schwingt mich kurz --

over het water.über das Wasser.

Poem H6373
Amsterdam, 2026-08-02
With a photo of Florentin dK and Lotte W (September 6th, 2025, Schin op Geul)
Collection: The climbing house
 

Dad drives so fast, that

I don't dare look anymore --


I don't want to die.


Papa rijdt zo hard,Papa fährt so schnell,
ik durf niet meer te kijken --ich schaue mich nicht mehr um --

Ik wil niet doodgaan.Ich will nicht sterben.

Poem S3108
Amsterdam, 2026-03-19
Out of the world (Karl Ove Knausgård) - 1998
Novel "Ute av verden" (translated 2023), part 3, chapter 4 - 6 years old (1975, Tybakken, a newly-built neighbourhood of Gjerstad on the skerry island of Tromøya near Arendal)
Collection: Leaving
Tribute to: Knausgård, Karl Ove 
 

Behind man's success

there is a woman watching --


it in amazement!


Achter het succesHinter dem Erfolg
van elke man staat een vrouw --des Mannes steht eine Frau --

die verbaasd toekijkt!die staunend zusieht!

Poem H5355
Amsterdam, 2025-04-07
Without mercy (Renate Dorrestein) - 2001
Novel "Zonder genade" (translation 2004), part 1, 'In De Put' ('In The Dumps'), chapter 'Wat Jem altijd zei' ('What Jem always said')
Collection: Leaving
Tribute to: Dorrestein, Renate 
 

I want to be strong.

While I caress her, I scold --


her in a whisper.


Ik wil niet zwak zijn.Ich möchte stark sein.
Terwijl ik haar streel, scheld ik --Ich streichle und beschimpfe --

haar fluisterend uit.sie im Flüsterton.

Poem S1933
Amsterdam, 2023-09-26
Else Böhler, German maid (Simon Vestdijk) - 1934
Novel "Else Böhler, Duits dienstmeisje", published 1935, chapter April 16th, '34
Collection: Inmost [1]
Tribute to: Vestdijk, Simon 
 

His first day of school,

still a bit uneasy in --


his first uniform.


Zijn eerste schooldag,Sein erster Schultag,
nog wat onwennig in zijn --noch ungewohnt in seiner --

eerste uniform.ersten Uniform.

Poem S1869
Amsterdam, 2023-08-18
little child - 1. first schoolday (Antjie Krog) - 2022
Poem "kindertjie - 1. eerste skooldag" (collection "Plunder" ["Pillage"])
Collection: Specialities
Tribute to: Krog, Antjie 
 

Zywa The days when he is sweet

When he loves me
I think he is better
than I know him to be
Adventures lure him

He enthusiastically magnifies them
in compelling stories
and our love
he scales down
My friends also
hang on

to the attention they get
on the days when he is sweet
and they don't worry
about what else he's doing

Poem 5141
Amsterdam, 2023-04-30
Love is just a four-letter word (Bob Dylan / Joan Baez) - 1967
Song, not recorded by Bob Dylan; sung by Joan Baez on the 1968 album "Any Day Now"
Collection: Great Flow 
Tribute to: Dylan, Bob; Baez, Joan 
 

Moon sand flying up,

the camera on the chest --


like an erection.


Opstuivend maanzand,Mondsand wirbelt auf,
de camera op de borst --die Kamera auf der Brust --

als een erectie.wie eine Steife.

Poem H3666
Amsterdam, 2023-01-14
A Voyage to the Moon - In seven parts (Manfred Durniok) - 1976
Film: "lunar vehicle" - NASA footage and music by Oskar Sala on the Mixtur-Trautonium, performed in the Organpark by Peter Pichler on January 14th, 2023
Collection: org ANP ark 
Tribute to: Durniok, Manfred 
 

Well, men have to swing,

a cudgel, their penis, or --


views and opinions.


Ach, mannen zwaaienNa, Männer schwingen
met een knots, met hun penis --ihren Knüppel, Glied, oder --

of met hun mening.ihre Meinungen.

Poem S1501
Scheveningen, 2022-09-03
A pleasant postumity: letters 1965-1997 (Herman de Coninck) - 1987
Letter 133, from Herman de Coninck to Mrs. Van E (monthly magazine Elga), early 1987 (in "Een aangename postumiteit: brieven 1965-1997"); published in 2004
Collection: Shortages
Tribute to: De Coninck, Herman 
 

We have competed

a lot over our fathers --


which of them was worse.


We wedijverdenWir haben gekämpft
vaak over onze vaders --über unsere Väter --

wie de ergste was.wer der Schlimmste war.

Poem H2825
Amsterdam, 2020-11-13
Circumstances (Koos van Zomeren) - 2020
Novel "Omstandigheden", page 182-183
Collection: Actively Passive
Tribute to: Van Zomeren, Koos 
 

Yeah, he really feels

he is a man, not a wimp --


oh, my darling dear.


Ja, hij voelt zich echtEr fühlt sich wirklich
een man, hij is geen doetje --ein Mann, es ist kein weichei --

ach, de lieve schat.ach, mein lieber Schatz.

Poem H2703
Amsterdam, 2020-05-08
Collection: Dearme
 

The black man reaches

the snow-white village and knocks --


seated on his horse.


De zwarte ruiterDer schwarze Reiter
bereikt het sneeuwwitte dorp --erreicht das schneeweiße Dorf --

en klopt zittend aan.Sitzend klopft er an.

Poem H2388
Amsterdam, 2019-02-08
The traveler - 1 (Antonio Machado) - 1912
Poem "El viajero" (collection "Campos de Castilla")
Collection: Actively Passive
Tribute to: Machado, Antonio 
 

Men and love: only

if they admit they are wrong --


each time they are wrong.


Mannen en liefde:Männer und Liebe:
ja, mits ze het toegeven --nur wenn sie es zugeben --

als ze fout zaten.wenn sie falsch lagen.

Poem H2078
Amsterdam, 2018-05-06
Collection: Dearme
 

Zywa He is so eager

He is so eager
to show himself
cut stones and build
a house for me

with sofas and gardens
to lay me down
celebrate my beauty
with his love

and slide me away
to the seventh heaven
He is so eager
to discover wonders

with me, in the world
of which he is dreaming
(nowhere is anyone lying
in distress or in tears)

He is so eager
never will he be old
for he is too young
with his restless eyes

Poem 1412
Amsterdam, 2017-06-17
Collection: Heart's Delight
 

Zywa Shield and spear Dreams in me Mars

You are hiding
behind a shield, you tough
man with a spear

Sure, you want me
but you have been warned
by your previous girlfriend

You can fight the world
you want to fight who you are
for ideals, amma or me

but for love, for me
you can not fight without hurting
her, without hurting me

or giving up your power
You may see your dreams in me
but I do not exist

in your dreams, you tough
man with a spear, you tough
man with a spear

Poem 1286
Amsterdam, 2017-04-21
Collection: The drama
 

Zywa Men

At night we scream, sleeping afraid
of tentacles between the sheets

we wake up from thunder rolls
and the rattling of the windows

we listen to the barking dogs
until we disappear unnoticed

into the arms of our cuddly toy
but in the morning the sun shines

then

we all run out
and are happy all day

in the sun and crusts of mud
on our bodies and limbs: Sack Men –

we stink of beans
suffocate the enemy

in the smell, cry him to the bottom
of the sacks, shakily afraid

we beat the drum, chase away the snakes
fight the milling arms

of mighty giants, legions
of sheep and dangerous generals

until at home we empty the sacks
over the fire and the animals

howl and wriggle
but they cannot catch us

Poem 1012
Amsterdam, 2017-02-13
Collection: BloodTrunk 
Dedicated to: Patrick vC 
 

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