Zywa

Due to the fatwa,

he lives locked up at home, like --

a Muslim woman.



Door het moordbevel	Wegen der Fatwa
leeft hij thuis opgesloten --	lebt er in Hausarrest, wie --

als een moslima.	eine Muslima.

Poem S3259
Amsterdam, 2026-09-08
Joseph Anton. A memoir (Salman Rushdie) - 2012
The Algerian writer Assia Djebar writes in the collection "Cent intellectuels arabes et musulmans Pour Rushdie"; her contribution is mentioned in the autobiography "Joseph Anton. A Memoir" (2012, Salman Rushdie), chapter 6. 'Why it is impossible to photograph the pampas' (reflection by Jorge Luis Borges in an essay on the photographer Gustavo Thorlichen) - December 1993
Collection: Sludge
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman

Only strong people

can humiliate someone --

By forgiving him.



Alleen wie sterk is	Nur wer stark ist, kann
kan iemand vernederen --	jemanden erniedrigen --

Door vergiffenis.	und ihm vergeben.

Poem S3162
Amsterdam, 2026-05-22
Autumn (Karl Ove Knausgård) - 2015
Autobiographical novel "Om høsten", part 3, chapter 'November', § 'Forgiveness' - Glemmingebro (near Ystad)
Collection: Writing
Tribute to: Knausgård, Karl Ove

A person who thinks

is by definition too --

disobedient.



Iemand die nadenkt	Einer, der denkt, ist
is per definitie niet --	per Definition nicht --

gehoorzaam genoeg.	gehorsam genug.

Poem S3091
Amsterdam, 2026-02-27
The targeted imprisonment and murder of journalists, teachers, students, scientists, artists, doctors and aid workers, since the 'Executed Renaissance' in Ukraine (in 1933, under Stalin), later the 'Cultural Revolution' (from 1966, under Mao), now again in Ukraine (since 2014, under Putin), and in Turkey (since 2013, under Erdogan)
Collection: Writing

Zywa The flat world [Digital]

Culture is being flattened
People tolerate this powerlessly
and sometimes even applaud it

With common sense and education
they only half-understand the science
that suits their own agenda

Representatives trump each
other and make no decisions
outside their own fairytale world

where they can go anywhere
without moving a step, they pull
something out of the machine

and wish for the good old days
to play in - a false game
because it knows no end

Poem 5826
Amsterdam, 2026-01-14
In the Shadow of Tomorrow. A diagnosis of the spiritual suffering of our time (Johan Huizinga) - 1935
Chapters: II. Fears of the present and of before, XI. The cult of life, XVI. Puerilism
Collection: Changing Times
Tribute to: Huizinga, Johan

Snatching rivals in

sheep's clothing is supposed to --

be democratic?



Je concurrenten	Seine Rivale
verschalken in schaapskleren --	im Schafspelz erhaschen soll --

is democratisch?	demokratisch sein?

Poem S2993
Amsterdam, 2025-10-28
Grant me a language in which I can engage in genderless relationships with the world (Alara Adilow) - 2022
Poem "Schenk mij een taal waarin ik genderloze verhoudingen kan aangaan met de wereld", collection "Mythen en stoplichten" ("Myths and traffic lights")
Collection: May the Might
Tribute to: Adilow, Alara

Power is maintained

with traps, purity exists --

in a prison cell.



Macht wordt gehandhaafd	Macht wird durch Fallen
met valstrikken, zuiverheid --	erhalten, Reinheit gibt es --

bestaat in een cel.	in einer Zelle.

Poem S2308
Amsterdam, 2024-08-12
The Three Arrows (Iris Murdoch) - 1972
Play, Act Two, scene Five
Collection: Dreams of love
Tribute to: Murdoch, Iris

The strong can vote twelve

times, the weak do not make it --

to the polling place.



De sterken stemmen	Die Starken wählen
twaalf keer, de zwakken halen --	zwölf Mahl, Schwachen erreichen --

het stembureau niet.	das Wahllokal nicht.

Poem S2260
Amsterdam, 2024-07-12
Shame (Salman Rushdie) - 1983
Novel / Exposition with stories, part 4, chapter 9 Alexander the Great
Collection: Shadows
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman

Zywa Father

At school and on the news
students inherit in stories
the lies and the willingness
to go to war

More is less is the law
of children asking
will be passed over
Father keeps them short

When they undertake something
he should have done himself
he beats them and
breaks it off

He throws crumbs
to the people in their holes
he appeases the hooligans
and critics are open targets

for the silent reproach
of the majority
that they defy father
and do not join

Poem 5512
Amsterdam, 2024-04-23
Djed Moros = (Grand)Father Frost / General Winter
Hobbit: from 'hol-bytla' = hole builder, like a rabbit, which is a fearful animal
Political-philosophical book "Against Democracy" (2016, Jason Brennan): democracies give room to 'Hooligans', who want to be the boss and against facts, hold on to their right, whereby the 'Rationals' ('Vulcans ', named after a race in the TV series 'Star Trek') get into a tight corner because most citizens are passive and superficial 'Hobbits'
"The Moor's Last Sigh" (1995, Salman Rushdie), chapter (4-) 19, about the mayor of Benengeli
Collection: PumicePieces

Zywa Golden Calf

The bull in front of the stock exchange
throws the rates like balls
up in the air with his horns

the unstable assets
of the hypnotic juggler
more hot air than balls

He ruthlessly sacrifices everything
to the game, eeny meeny ming moe
I am the boss and you are out

New Marx's don't stand a chance
against the superpowers, anything
that is called Big, but is Mega Giga

Big Big Agro Aviation Betting Chemistry
Construction Drugs Entertainment Food
Metal Nicotine Oil Pharma Tech Trade and

Tera Weapons for those who need them
to make people be docilely
at peace with their lives

Poem 5509
Amsterdam, 2024-04-22
The Golden Calf (exodus 32) is literally a Golden Bull
Sculpture "Charging Bull" (2012, Arturo Di Modica [1941]) in front of the stock exchange building in Amsterdam, which throws prices up with its horns, a symbol of rising rates (a "bull market")
Counting-out game: in Celtic 1-2-3-4 is: ina mina ethera methera. In "The Moor's Last Sigh" (1995, Salman Rushdie) underworld king Abraham Zogoiby has a hand in the death of his wife Aurora and their children: Ina (Christina), Minnie (Inamorata) and Mynah (Philomina), thinks the youngest, their son Moor (Moraes)
Megas = great (million, 10⁶), Gigas = giant (billion, 10⁹), Teras = monster (trillion, 10¹²)
Collection: Sludge
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman; Di Modica, Arturo

Any overworld

is a palimpsest over --

a scraped underworld.



De bovenwereld	Jede Oberwelt
is een palimpsest over --	ist ein Palimpsest über --

de onderwereld.	einer Unterwelt.

Poem S2168
Amsterdam, 2024-04-02
The Moor's Last Sigh (Salman Rushdie) - 1995
Novel, chapters "Spices from Malabar", (2-) 11 and "The Moor's Last Sigh", (4-) 19
Collection: Sludge
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman

Power is itself,

you can never possess it --

you only use it.



Macht is zelfstandig,	Macht ist selbstständig,
die kun je niet bezitten --	man kann sie nicht besitzen --

die gebruik je slechts.	man kann sie nutzen.

Poem S2143
Amsterdam, 2024-03-06
Vladiwostok! (P.F. Thomése) - 2007
Novel, part 1, chapter 11
Collection: May the Might
Tribute to: Thomése, Pieter Frans

The grand Golden Queen:

here and now you can be her --

just by make-believe.



Gouden Koningin:	Die Goldkönigin:
jij kunt haar zijn, je laat het --	du kannst sie sein, andere --

mensen geloven.	lässt du dran glauben.

Poem S2133
Amsterdam, 2024-02-21
The Golden House (Salman Rushdie) - 2017
Novel, chapter (2-) 28
The Golden King: El Rey Dorado / El Dorado
Collection: Wind
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman

Artists alongside

the soldiers, entertaining --

the relieved people.



Naast de soldaten	Einzug der Armee:
rijden karren, artiesten --	Künstler zur Unterhaltung --

vermaken het volk.	aller Zuschauer.

Poem S2070
Amsterdam, 2023-12-27
Midnight's Children (Salman Rushdie) - 1981
Novel, chapter 3-3 "Sam and the Tiger"
Collection: Shadows
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman

Zywa Labyrinth of lies

To young men, heroism
is attractive and if they manage
to survive the monster
they will choose the honour
of the lie

and not admit how it is
but stick to the story
and boast of their courage
knowing that the monster
is a dusky labyrinth

that also frightened
their predecessors until they realised
that the bones are the remains
of starvation, because
the labyrinth beneath the palace

is empty, and the door is hidden
and locked beneath the throne
of the king, who rules
with the power of the story
of a ravenous monster

and whoever wishes to succeed
him must be clever enough
to escape and then
become complicit
in the deception

Poem 5354
Amsterdam, 2023-11-05
An eye in the sea (Salomé Roodenburg / Willem Boogman) - 2023
Music theatre "Een oog in de zee", about Ariadne and the Minotaur (libretto and scenography Salomé Roodenburg, composition Willem Boogman), performed at the Organpark on November 4th, 2023
Collection: org ANP ark
Tribute to: Roodenburg, Salomé
Composer: Boogman, Willem

FOLK is meaningless,

it is a suspicious sop --

and a cover-up.



VOLK is een leeg woord,	VOLK ist inhaltsleer,
een verdacht zoethoudertje --	nur eine Beruhigung --

en een dekmantel.	und ein Deckmantel.

Poem S1715
Amsterdam, 2023-03-26
The Office - Failure (Han Voskuil) - 2000
The romantic illusion of folk culture and folklife studies
Novel "Het Bureau - Afgang"
Pages 184-185, Maarten Koning and Charles Luzac (1983), page 241, Maarten Koning, Sien de Nooijer and others (1984), page 379, Maarten Koning in a department meeting, to Rie Veld (1984)
Collection: Frustration
Tribute to: Voskuil, Han

An orator can

convince many listeners --

with whole and half lies.



Een redenaar kan	Ein Redner kann leicht
overtuigen, met hele --	überzeugen, mit ganzen --

en halve leugens.	und halben Lügen.

Poem S1697
Amsterdam, 2023-03-07
The Office - And melancholy, too (Han Voskuil) - 1999
Novel "Het Bureau - En ook weemoedigheid"
Page 457, Maarten Koning and Ruurd 't Mannetje (1981)
Collection: Frustration
Tribute to: Voskuil, Han

You should not do it

secretly, but unnoticed --

just tactically.



Zoiets doe je niet	So was tut man nicht
heimelijk maar tactisch, zo --	heimlich, sondern taktisch, so --

dat het niet opvalt.	dass es nicht auffällt.

Poem S1672
Amsterdam, 2023-02-10
The Office - The A.P. Beerta Institute (Han Voskuil) - 1998
Novel "Het Bureau - Het A.P. Beerta-Instituut"
Page 655, Maarten Koning and Bart Asjes (speaking about Joop Schenk) - 1977
Collection: Frustration
Tribute to: Voskuil, Han

People with prestige

always want more, they have to --

cross another line.



Mensen met status	Menschen mit Status
willen meer, ze moeten wel --	wollen mehr, also sind sie --

over de schreef gaan.	grenzüberschreitend.

Poem S1645
Amsterdam, 2023-01-23
Boundary crossing #3, Assault
Collection: Migration

Really every lie

does need a decent wardrobe --

of nice eloquence.



Elke leugen heeft	Doch! Jede Lüge
een garderobe nodig --	braucht eine Garderobe --

van welsprekendheid.	der Beredsamkeit.

Poem S1629
Amsterdam, 2023-01-05
The wardrobe of eloquence (Luigi Pirandello) - 1908
Story "Il guardaroba dell'eloquenza"
Collection: Actively Passive
Tribute to: Pirandello, Luigi

Powerless people

are like powerful people:

mad at the others.



De onmachtigen	Die Ohnmächtigen
zijn net machtigen: woedend --	sind wie Mächtigen: wütend --

op de anderen.	auf die anderen.

Poem H3410
Amsterdam, 2022-08-10
The colours of Anna (Sander Kollaard) - 2021
Novel "De kleuren van Anna", § Red
Collection: Wean Di
Tribute to: Kollaard, Sander

How weird, your trousers!

You really don't care, that's what --

I like about you!



Wat is jouw broek raar!	Komische Hose!
Dat jij daar echt niet op let --	Dass es dir ganz egal ist --

is zo leuk aan jou!	das mag ich an dir!

Poem S1456
Amsterdam, 2022-07-08
Like it or not - Faxing to Ger #4 (Nicolien Mizee) - 2021
Diary novel "Hoog en laag springen - Faxen aan Ger #4", December 13^th, 1999
Also April 10^th, 2000, in: "Een licht bewoond eiland - Faxen aan Ger #5"
Exercise power with criticism
Collection: In the shadow
Tribute to: Mizee, Nicolien

Zywa Stop thief!

The staff members are the worst
they only do their job half way
spying on the chief
and each other, to blow with
the wind when it turns

They take care
of their career, what is good
for them is called good
for the cause, they hold on
and will spoil everything

Even if it's just hearsay
a good story is indestructible
It steals what you want to have
and you black-wash everyone who contradicts
to appear white yourself

while you are the first to cry
Stop thief!
with a passing side note
which amplifies the rumours
by contradicting them

Poem 4558
Amsterdam, 2022-06-27
Collection: Half The Work

Zywa We just have to

Everything has its time
the princes and the tyrants
the noble and the rich elite
the rights of liberty
equality and brotherhood
the incitement of the people
and again the king
our hero, our champion

I just have to
to make the best of it
My life is too short
for active resistance
for a more ideal later
which can only reach
its time after years
of quiet growth

Until then we just have to
be patient and
be satisfied
with each other's fears
vices, ugly
and nice words
out of impotence
to take care of each other

Poem 4304
Amsterdam, 2022-02-08
Monarchy >> Tyranny >> Aristocracy >> Oligarchy >> Democracy >> Populism >> Monarchy >>
Collection: Greeting from before

Zywa Funnels of the year

The funnels are converted
into this year's mouths:
pink, violet and apple green
with some pale yellow in advance
for the fashion that will come

Controllers push all colours
- deaf for their protests -
through to the right
of the outside world
and the bosses

Sometimes it seems to make sense
but usually They dictate
new filters over the fickle-
ness of employees
citizens and tinsel

I myself like being orange
from which some pink is extracted
and a scrap of purple is exaggerated
for the rest I am not counted
in the statistics

Poem 4111
Amsterdam, 2021-11-10
Collection: Mosaic virus

Accustoming makes

power weak, so it changes --

the rules all the time.



Gewenning ontkracht	Eingewöhnung schwächt
de macht, dus verandert die --	die Macht, also ändert sie --

aldoor de regels.	dauernd die Regeln.

Poem S1187
Amsterdam, 2021-06-06
All-crushing - Faxing to Ger #3 (Nicolien Mizee) - 2019
Diary-novel "Allesverpletterende - Faxen aan Ger"
Collection: In the shadow
Tribute to: Mizee, Nicolien

Zywa Fly in your attention

It feels famous, those sunglasses
against the guessing and hoping eyes
that warm you with attention

Yes, we watch, because we know
we are seen by you
we straighten our backs and laugh

We hear you, you like to talk
about love, about desires
and about me

that I seem to be ready
Yes, I really wanted
to believe that

and my body called
for redemption, but you took
my soul in return

Why was my age just a number
why did I think I could
fly in your attention?

You played with the words
Please Rescue Me
but I survived you

Poem 2957
Amsterdam, 2020-04-24
Collection: Inflictions
Tribute to: Kelly, Robert Sylvester
Dedicated to: Siera Mayhew

Zywa Upper boss

Get started! With a small box, some leaves
and some ants, and practise lightning
a flying storm and the heavenly hand

until you can do it
Then take a larger box
with more stuff and many more ants

Of course, they don't mess up
properly, so you shake the box
and occasionally you raise your higher hand

Then you can do it with two boxes
and having mastered that, you throw them
together and you appoint petty bosses

If a box fails, you set it on fire
You open a new one
and you give the boss a second chance

Well, it's so easy
to be the upper boss

Poem 2277
Amsterdam, 2019-06-18
Collection: PumicePieces

Power makes the laws,

power makes people guilty --

that's how it grows great.



Macht maakt de wetten,	Macht macht Gesetze,
macht maakt de mensen schuldig --	Macht macht die Leute schuldig --

zo maakt macht zich groot.	so macht Macht sich groß.

Poem S0794
Vaison-la-Romaine, 2018-09-17
Atlas shrugged (Ayn Rand) - 1957
Novel, part 2 'Either - Or', chapter 3 'White blackmail'
Collection: Willegos
Tribute to: Rand, Ayn

Zywa The theatre

I departed for peace
and this hotel was my court
for four years

I prayed for wisdom, deposed
the popes, and had a stage been built
outside the walls

For science, which does not help
     to solve the problems, but
     complicates the world

For the learned rector from Prague
For a summer fire for the citizens
     and the women who lend themselves to us

because politics is theatre
in the halls and the churches of the city
on markets, in hotels and brothels

Just let the girls in our bed
laugh at our nakedness
and the game with crowns and sceptres

Just let the bells ring
on their jester's cap

Poem 1288
Amsterdam, 2017-04-22
Council of Constance (1414-1418) under the management of Sigismund
Johannes Hus, rector of the University of Prague, was condemned and burned on July 6th, 1415 in Constance
Sculpture "Imperia" (1993, Peter Lenk): prostitute Imperia wears a jester's cap, and holds two small naked men on her hands, one with a crown, the other with a tiara
Collection: The drama

Zywa New Romes

If not the facts do count
not even the people
but money and power

under the banner of freedom
equality or faith
weigh heavily in the pockets

of the senators
and treason is the reproach
to anyone who would

protest time after time
when is repeated
that Carthage must be destroyed

     then the wise words from the
     mouths of gifted speakers fail -
     and who then can be the leader

     of the democratic revolution?

Poem 918
Amsterdam, 2016-12-26
Marcus Cato "the Elder" (234-149): 'Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam' ('Moreover, I advise that Carthage must be destroyed')
Collection: On living on [2]

The Moonpeopleman:

what a skylightningthunder-

weatherly madness!



De Maanvolkmens: wat	Der Mondvolkmensch: was
een hemelbliksemdonder-	für ein Himmelblitzdonner-

wederse waanzin!	Wetterscher Wahnsinn!

Poem S0445
Amsterdam, 2016-12-18
Tom Puss and The Moonhowlers (Marten Toonder) - 1967
Comic strip #118 - "Tom Poes en De Maanblaffers" (tiers 5970-6029 and 6031-6032), tier 5988
Collection: Puss & Lord
Tribute to: Toonder, Marten

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