| Mama is not here, | |
| it's just the two of us now -- | |
| Together. Alone. | |
| Mama is er niet, | Mama ist nicht da, |
| we zijn nu met zijn tweetjes -- | jetzt sind wir nur noch zu zweit -- |
| Samen. En alleen. | Zusammen. Allein. |
Amsterdam, 2026-04-26
The little boy (Serge Reggiani) - 1967
Song "Le petit garçon" (album "No2 Bobino")
Collection: Em Brace
Tribute to: Reggiani, Serge
| How then could I write | |
| about her, do anything -- | |
| while she is not there? | |
| Hoe zou ik kunnen | Wie dann könnte ich |
| schrijven over haar, iets doen -- | schreiben über sie, jetzt, wo -- |
| terwijl zij ontbreekt? | sie selbst nicht da ist? |
Amsterdam, 2026-03-11
Second winter (Anna Enquist) - 2004
Poem "Tweede winter", collection "De tussentijd" ("The meantime"), in memory of her daughter Margit (1974-2001)
Collection: Blankets of snow
Tribute to: Enquist, Anna
| Is my friend looking | |
| for me? No, I'm calling her -- | |
| but.. she's in her grave. | |
| Zoekt mijn vriendin mij? | Sucht meine Freundin |
| Nee, ik roep haar, maar.. zij moet -- | nach mir? Nein, ich rufe sie -- |
| in haar graf blijven. | dort.. in ihrem Grab. |
Amsterdam, 2025-08-28
Buried too soon, already hastily dragged away (Frida Vogels) - 1994
Poem "Te snel begraven, al haastig weggesleept", published in the collection "De harde kern 3" ("The hard core 3" [part XI, Deceased]), and in "Diary 1974-1976" (2013) - January 23rd, 1974, Amsterdam
Collection: Overwritten
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida
| From countless corners | |
| I receive answers: my words -- | |
| returning to me. | |
| Uit alle hoeken | Aus allen Ecken |
| krijg ik antwoord: mijn woorden -- | Antworten: meine Worte -- |
| hoor ik weer terug. | höre ich wieder. |
Amsterdam, 2025-08-21
Being in a place (Frida Vogels) - 1994
Verse "Zich bevinden op een plek", published in the collection "De harde kern 3" ("The hard core 3", part X [Father]) - September 12th, 1971, Bologna
Collection: Lookout
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida
| During the day I | |
| often stare at a vague place -- | |
| where you are missing. | |
| Overdag staar ik | Tagsüber starre |
| vaak naar een vage plek waar -- | ich oft auf eine Stelle -- |
| jij voorgoed ontbreekt. | an dem du mich fehlst. |
Amsterdam, 2025-08-21
It's quite normal, they say, that you always visit me (Frida Vogels) - 1994
Verse " 't Is heel gewoon, zegt men, dat je me steeds bezoekt", published in the collection "De harde kern 3" ("The hard core 3", part X [Father]), and in "Diary 1970-1971" (2011) - September 21st, 1971, Bologna
Collection: Lookout
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida
| Children rush past me, | |
| I hold on to the edge, no -- | |
| longer a mother. | |
| Kinderen stormen | Kinder stürmen vor- |
| langs mij heen, ik houd me vast -- | bei, ich halte mich fest, bin -- |
| ben geen moeder meer. | keine Mutter mehr. |
Amsterdam, 2025-06-15
Three Colours: Blue (Krzysztof Kieslowski) - 1993
Film "Trois couleurs: Bleu" - Liberté (Liberty)
Julie Vignon in the swimming pool; her husband and their 5-year-old daughter died in an accident
Collection: Greeting from before
Tribute to: Kieslowski, Krzysztof
| We're very busy, | |
| so we miss you extra now -- | |
| by not missing you. | |
| We hebben het druk | Wir sind beschäftigt |
| en missen jou extra door -- | und vermissen dich, weil wir -- |
| jou niet te missen. | dich nicht vermissen. |
Amsterdam, 2025-05-20
Interview - 2025
Arjan Berkhuysen and Anemoon Elzinga about missing their son Mees who died in an accident (interview by Kim Bos in the NRC of May 20th, 2025)
Collection: Being my own museum
| Darling, here you lie, | |
| under laurel and cypress -- | |
| under my flowers. | |
| Liefste, hier lig jij, | Liebling, hier liegst du, |
| onder laurier en cipres -- | unter den hohen Bäumen -- |
| onder mijn bloemen. | unter den Blumen. |
Amsterdam, 2024-07-15
Chorus and Orpheus: "Oh, in this wood" (Ranieri de' Calzabigi / Christoph Willibald Gluck) - 1762
Chorus and Orpheus: "Ah, se intorno" / "Ah! Dans ce bois" from the opera "Orfeo ed Euridice" ("Orpheus and Eurydice"), first act, beginning of the first scene
Collection: Stall
Tribute to: De' Calzabigi, Ranieri
Composer: Gluck, Christoph W.
| Darling, show yourself | |
| and take your shadow from me -- | |
| Please come back to me! | |
| Liefste, laat je zien, | Mein Liebling, zeig dich, |
| neem jouw schaduw weg van mij -- | nimm deinen Schatten von mir -- |
| Kom terug bij mij! | Komm zurück zu mir! |
Amsterdam, 2024-07-15
Recitative and air "Beloved shade", "Source of my love" (Ranieri de' Calzabigi / Christoph Willibald Gluck) - 1762
Recitative and air: "Cara ombra", "Chiamo il mio ben" / "Ombre chère", "Objet de mon amour" from the opera "Orfeo ed Euridice" ("Orpheus and Eurydice"), first act, second scene
Collection: Stall
Tribute to: De' Calzabigi, Ranieri
Composer: Gluck, Christoph W.
| I miss my daughter, | |
| who called me Ma, someday might -- | |
| have called me Grandma. | |
| Ik mis mijn dochter, | Meine Tochter, die |
| die mij Ma noemde, misschien -- | mich Mama nannte, vielleicht -- |
| later ook Oma. | später auch Oma. |
Amsterdam, 2023-10-04
Respect (Anna Enquist) - 2019
Poem "Eerbied" (in "Het liegend konijn", October 2019, and in the collection "Berichten van het front", 2020)
Collection: Blankets of snow
Tribute to: Enquist, Anna
| I fall, now my loss | |
| stands still, now there is no death -- | |
| No death without time. | |
| Ik val, mijn gemis | Ich falle, still steht |
| staat stil, nu is er geen dood -- | mein Verlust, jetzt keinen Tod -- |
| Geen dood zonder tijd. | Kein Tod ohne Zeit. |
Amsterdam, 2023-03-21
Agreement (Anna Enquist) - 2001
Poem "Afspraak", in memory of her daughter Margit (1974-2001)), published in the NRC of January 26th, 2001, and in the collection "De tussentijd" (2004)
Collection: Stall
Tribute to: Enquist, Anna
| You're alive, traces | |
| of yours float around: become -- | |
| a body again! | |
| Je leeft, er zweven | Du lebst, Spuren von |
| sporen van jou rond, ik wacht -- | dir schwimmen herum: werde -- |
| Word weer een lichaam. | wieder ein Körper! |
Amsterdam, 2022-10-26
You dispersed yourself (Jila Mossaed) - 2012
Poem "Du har spridit dig" (collection "Ett ljud som bara jag kan")
Collection: Stall
Tribute to: Mossaed, Jila
| Like a lonely tree | |
| in the winter it must be -- | |
| because so it is. | |
| Als een eenzame | Wie ein einsamer |
| boom in de winter moet het -- | Baum im Winter muss es sein -- |
| omdat het zo is. | weil es mal so ist. |
Amsterdam, 2022-09-23
It must be with winter. A tree on the horizon (Herman de Coninck) - 1991
Poem "Het moet met winter. Op de horizon een boom" (collection "Enkelvoud")
In September 1971, An Somers died in a car accident
Collection: Shortages
Tribute to: De Coninck, Herman
| Finally the snow, | |
| which covers all of our lives -- | |
| and never will melt. | |
| Tenslotte de sneeuw, | Schließlich fällt der Schnee, |
| die heel ons leven bedekt -- | der unser Leben abdeckt -- |
| en nooit zal smelten. | und der niemals schmilzt. |
Amsterdam, 2022-02-15
Suddenly. In december. (Rolf Jacobsen) - 1985
Poem (collection "Frå nåttapent")
Collection: VacantVoid
Tribute to: Jacobsen, Rolf
| The dog understood | |
| from my voice, he stays outside -- | |
| and stares down the street. | |
| De hond hoorde het | Der Hund hörte es |
| aan mijn stem, hij blijft buiten -- | in meiner Stimme, er starrt -- |
| en staart de straat in. | den Weg hinunter. |
Amsterdam, 2020-12-28
Butterfly (Rowwen Hèze) - 2003
Song "Vlinder" (album "Dageraad")
After the murder of Nicky Verstappen (1987-1998)
Collection: Em Brace
Tribute to: Rowwen Hèze
| It is his birthday: | |
| and again spring will begin -- | |
| a whole day later. | |
| Zijn geboortedag: | Sein Geburtstag, ja, |
| ook nu begint de lente -- | der Frühling beginnt wieder -- |
| weer een dag later. | einen Tag später. |
Amsterdam, 2020-03-20
Deceased husband, born on March 20th
Collection: Em Brace
Dedicated to: Ineke J
| I keep missing him, | |
| this feeling will not turn in- | |
| to dead memories. | |
| Ik blijf hem missen, | Ich vermisse ihn, |
| dat gevoel wordt geen dode -- | daraus wird keine tote -- |
| herinneringen. | Erinnerungen. |
Amsterdam, 2019-11-23
Herman H's wedding day and day of death
Collection: Local tardiness
Dedicated to: Ineke J
| It has been too soon, | |
| we had only grown apart -- | |
| just a little bit. | |
| Het was te vroeg, nog | Es war noch zu früh, |
| maar een beetje waren we -- | nur ein bisschen waren wir -- |
| uit elkaar gegroeid. | uns fremd geworden. |
Amsterdam, 2019-11-23
Father's day of death
Collection: Local tardiness
Dedicated to: Mark H, Christel H, Ellen H, Marianne H
| I'm homeless without | |
| your hands, roaming through the fields -- | |
| There is snow coming. | |
| Zonder jouw handen | Ich bin obdachlos |
| ben ik dakloos, zwerf ik rond -- | ohne deine Hände und -- |
| Er is sneeuw op komst. | wandre, Schnee zieht auf. |
Amsterdam, 2019-01-15
House and hands (Rolf Jacobsen) - 1985
Poem "Huset og hendene" (collection "Frå nåttapent")
Collection: VacantVoid
Tribute to: Jacobsen, Rolf
|
Your life still rustles |
Amsterdam, 2018-11-22
Collection: The Yellow House Museum
Dedicated to: Ineke J
| You keep coming back, | |
| till I no longer dream and -- | |
| you no longer go. | |
| Jij komt steeds terug, | Du kommst oft zurück, |
| totdat ik niet meer droom en -- | bis ich nicht mehr träume und -- |
| jij niet meer weggaat. | du nicht mehr weggehst. |
Amsterdam, 2018-05-20
Leaving. And coming back (Herman de Coninck) - 1979
Poem "Weggaan. En terugkomen" (in Revolver (year 9, number 1, 1979)
Collection: Shortages
Tribute to: De Coninck, Herman
| Missing his presence | |
| together, so forever -- | |
| that it makes time stop. | |
| Zijn aanwezigheid | Seine Gegenwart |
| samen missen, zo voorgoed -- | vermissen, so für immer -- |
| dat de tijd stil staat. | dass die Zeit still steht. |
Amsterdam, 2017-12-03
On the death of Herman H
Collection: Greeting from before
Dedicated to: Ineke J, Mark H, Christel H, Ellen H, Marianne H
| Appearing again | |
| and again, gaps in the days: | |
| that's where we miss him. | |
| Steeds opnieuw vallen | Immer wieder gibt |
| er gaten in de dagen: | es Lücke in den Tagen: |
| waar we hem missen. | wo er uns dann fehlt. |
Amsterdam, 2017-12-03
On the death of Herman H
Collection: Greeting from before
Dedicated to: Ineke J, Mark H, Christel H, Ellen H, Marianne H
| Thinking of us, back | |
| then, the chairs, the round table -- | |
| I lose it again. | |
| Denkend aan ons, toen, | Denkend an damals, |
| de stoelen, het tafeltje -- | die Stühle, den Tisch, geht es -- |
| verlies ik het weer. | wieder verloren. |
Amsterdam, 2017-11-20
I wanted to talk to you (Frida Vogels) - 1994
Verse "Ik wou met je praten", published in the collection "De harde kern 3" ("The hard core 3" [part V, Mother], and in "Diary 1964-1965" (2008) - December 23rd, 1965, Bologna
Collection: Self-portraits
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida
|
Back then I had to get used |
Amsterdam, 2016-12-27
Collection: On living on [2]
|
The black sun in me cries |
Amsterdam, 2016-11-21
At the death of Gert-Jan Schuller
Collection: Pending rain
Dedicated to: Ellen H
| The rooms have a smell | |
| of burning, a smell of loss -- | |
| and of the grief dog. | |
| De kamers ruiken | Die Zimmer riechen |
| aangebrand, naar een gemis -- | verbrannt, nach einem Verlust -- |
| en naar verdriethond. | und dem Trauerhund. |
Amsterdam, 2015-12-26
Someone is missing here (Marieke Lucas Rijneveld) - 2015
Poem "Hier wordt iemand gemist" (collection "Kalfsvlies")
Collection: VacantVoid
Tribute to: Rijneveld, Lucas
| I am alone now, | |
| you'll never call again, just -- | |
| your chair is still there. | |
| Nu zit ik alleen, | Allein, nie wieder |
| nu jij nooit meer belt, alleen -- | wirst du mich anrufen, nur -- |
| jouw stoel er nog is. | dein Stuhl ist noch da. |
Amsterdam, 2014-12-05
For Simon Bon, after his father's death (early November 2012)
Collection: Webgarden
Dedicated to: Simon B
| Yes, that's what dreams do, | |
| I feel something that isn't there -- | |
| no longer there: you. | |
| Ja, dat doet een droom, | Ja, das macht ein Traum, |
| ik voel iets dat er niet is -- | ich fühle, was nicht da ist -- |
| er niet meer is: jij. | nicht mehr da ist: dich. |
Amsterdam, 2014-06-28
Dreaming dreams (Judith Herzberg) - 1999
Poem "Dromen dromen" (collection "Bijvangst")
Collection: MistI
Tribute to: Herzberg, Judith
| Darling, where are you? | |
| I miss you, so much has died -- | |
| together with you. | |
| Lief, waar ben je nu? | Liebling, wo bist du? |
| Ik mis je, er is zoveel -- | Du fehlst mich sehr, so viel ist -- |
| gestorven met jou. | mit dir gestorben. |
Amsterdam, 2014-03-12
Egidius Lament - 1400
"Egidiuslied"
Lament about THE DEATH OF Gillis Honin (Brugge)
Collection: MistI
| On her piano, | |
| she played, I am just pinging -- | |
| around the silence. | |
| Op haar piano | Auf ihrem Klavier |
| speelde ze, nu pingel ik -- | spielte sie, ich schlage nur -- |
| om de stilte heen. | in aller Stille. |
Amsterdam, 2013-07-10
Collection: Webgarden
