In the cave dwelling

there aren't any doors, only --


doorways and thresholds.


De holenwoningDie Höhlenwohnung
heeft geen deuren, alleen maar --hat keine Türen, es gibt --

deuropeningen.nur Türöffnungen.

Poem S3219
Amsterdam, 2026-07-28
The Buried Giant (Kazuo Ishiguro) - 2015
Novel, chapter 1
Collection: Glimpsed
Tribute to: Ishiguro, Kazuo 
 

The Chinese is new,

but its name in characters --


is old: Dry Cleaner's.


De chinees is nieuw,Der Chinese ist
maar zijn naam in karakters --neu, sein Name in Zeichen --

is oud: Wasserij.ist alt: Wäscherei.

Poem S2667
Amsterdam, 2025-05-16
You now (Griet Op de Beeck) - 2016
Short stories "Gij nu", story 'terwijl hij zich probeerde voor te doen als mens onder de mensen' ('while trying to pose as a human being among humans'), chapter Four
Collection: Over
Tribute to: Op de Beeck, Griet 
 

And from house to house

mother collects food for us:


potato peelings.


Van huis tot huis haaltMutter sammelt von
moeder eten voor ons op:Haus zu Haus Essen für uns:

aardappelschillen.Kartoffelschalen.

Poem S2444
Amsterdam, 2024-11-07
A socialist youth (Han Voskuil) - 2001
Childhood memories "Een socialistische jeugd" - Dutch famine, January 1945
Collection: Elude
Tribute to: Voskuil, Han 
 

The hamlet decays,

being struck by the twins of --


poverty and fear.


Het dorp verkommert,Der Weiler verfällt,
getroffen door de tweeling --geplagt von den Zwillingen --

armoede en angst.von Armut und Angst.

Poem S2197
Amsterdam, 2024-05-19
Shalimar the Clown (Salman Rushdie) - 2005
Novel, chapter Kashmira, § 2
Collection: Sludge
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman 
 

Back from the city,

I clearly see, rich people --


here are just paupers.


Terug uit de stadZurück aus der Stadt
zie ik duidelijk hoe arm --sehe ich deutlich, wie arm --

hier de rijken zijn.die Reichen hier sind.

Poem S1992
Amsterdam, 2023-11-10
Irish Nights (Simon Vestdijk) - 1942
Novel "Ierse nachten", published 1946, chapters 4-1 and 4-5, Letters to Saint Patrick (AD 1859)
Collection: Inmost [2]
Tribute to: Vestdijk, Simon 
 

The wobbling chair has

only two legs, and a rope --


to the ceiling beam.


De wiebelstoel heeftDer Wackelstuhl hat
maar twee poten, en een touw --nur zwei Beine, und ein Seil --

naar de zoldering.zum Deckenboden.

Poem S1993
Amsterdam, 2023-11-10
Irish Nights (Simon Vestdijk) - 1942
Novel "Ierse nachten", published 1946, chapter 4-1, Letters to Saint Patrick (AD 1859)
Collection: Inmost [2]
Tribute to: Vestdijk, Simon 
 

Zywa I'm the one

I'm the shadow
next to you, the traffic regulator
you don't need

I'm the one
who good day good day
looks for deposit items
in the street litter bins

the roamer who approaches you
with bad teeth
and a bad story

I'm the one
with the odds and ends
with the red roses
in the restaurant

I'm the one
with the helpless look
with the helping hand

I'm the one
who washed your windscreen
who is homeless
who stands in line

for a meal
for a free shower
for a helping hand

I am I
want to want
to live to
live with you

Poem 5315
Amsterdam, 2023-10-02
Ole and Axel (Antjie Krog) - 2006
Poem "Die hiefel en die fiefel" (collection "Verweerskrif" ["Body bereft"])
Collection: PumicePieces
Tribute to: Krog, Antjie 
 

The old farmers re-

enact their youth: poverty --


really looks nice now.


De oude boerenDie alten Bauern
spelen hun jeugd na: armoe --spielen ihre Jugend nach:

ziet er nu mooi uit.Armut sieht gut aus.

Poem S1669
Amsterdam, 2023-02-09
The Office - The A.P. Beerta Institute (Han Voskuil) - 1998
Novel "Het Bureau - Het A.P. Beerta-Instituut"
Pages 595,598 Maarten Koning (and farmer Van der Harst) - 1977

Collection: Frustration
Tribute to: Voskuil, Han 
 

Another empty

wallet in the alley, thrown --


away, out of sight.


Alweer een legeNoch eine leere
portemonnee in de steeg --Brieftasche in der Gasse --

uit het zicht gegooid.praktisch außer Sicht.

Poem S1660
Amsterdam, 2023-02-06
The Office - The A.P. Beerta Institute (Han Voskuil) - 1998
Novel "Het Bureau - Het A.P. Beerta-Instituut"
Page 293, Maarten Koning and the hairdresser (1976)

Collection: Frustration
Tribute to: Voskuil, Han 
 

Zywa Who among us?

Not even tents, some cloths, wet
cardboard and pieces of plastic tied
between mud bushes, children
limp with their mothers, everywhere

young men stomping around
looking in every nook and corner
of their heads how to tear
down the fence, leave

their hopeless misery
in this no man's land
to put love again
in the eyes begging for help

Who cares about them, who
among us breaks the indecision, who
brings water, a bed, a loaf of bread, who
does do something, who goes to them, who

dares to look them in the eye
from person to person?

Poem 2153
Amsterdam, 2019-03-13
Islamic tradition: Zaynab bint Khuzayma - 620
Closed borders
Zaynab bint Khuzayma "al-Masakin" ("Mother of the poor")

Collection: The Praised One
 

 

 
House (tent)
Paris, 2006-09-03
Canal Saint Martin
Collection: Photo's 2006
 

 

 
House (matrass)
Paris, 2006-09-03
Canal Saint-Martin
Collection: Photo's 2006
 

Zywa
Keyword
Poverty: visible
GermanDutch5-7-5
PencilPumiceRainLoves
CompressedBirdsIflessPhoto
TributesDedicationsComposersHome
Attention is like sunshineMention © Zywa when using texts,
drawings, designs, paintings and photos
Search word:  CTRL-F