Zywa

Happiness to come,

after our obedience --

says the man of god.



Geluk komt later,	Das Glück kommt später,
na onze gehoorzaamheid --	nach unserem Gehorsam --

zegt de man van god.	sagt der Mann Gottes.

Poem S2407
Amsterdam, 2024-10-11
Collection: The Praised One

Saying, god wants one

religion you know nothing --

of divinity.



Wie zegt dat god één	Wer sagt, Gott will nur
soort godsdienst wil, begrijpt niets --	eine Religion, weiß nichts --

van goddelijkheid.	von der Göttlichkeit.

Poem S2221
Amsterdam, 2024-06-13
Victory City (Salman Rushdie) - 2023
Novel "Victory City" [Vijayanagar >> Bisnaga, based on Fatehpur Sikri ('Victory City', near Agra), the capital of Emperor Abdul-Fath Jalaluddin 'Akbar' (= 'the Great' >> 'Akbar the Great')], part 2 Exile, chapter 11
Collection: Wind
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman

Zywa The better world

People believe, but doubt
more and more, they look for support
in each other, in discussions

about the old promise
and the new one
that does not come true

Few of them, of us
are left
We keep a low profile

keep our meetings
private so that we can speak
freely and do not cause offence

We sing the songs
recite old letters
and summarise it all

in new words
which we write down to pass them on
It's still possible, the last days
are still ongoing

Poem 5482
Amsterdam, 2024-04-10
Command for a better world, under God's rule (put into Jesus' mouth, referring to Genesis 9:1)
The ongoing Jewish uprisings against Roman authority lead to a large-scale extermination of pockets of resistance, in order to maintain the Pax Romana. In this difficult situation, the leaders of the 'Christian'-Jewish community in Ephesus (south of Izmir) compiled a collection of texts of faith in the year 95 under the heading 'Letters of Paul', using fragments from some letters written by Paul in the years 52-54, from Ephesus to the 'Christian'-Jewish community in Corinth
Few of them: of the Old Covenant
Few of us: of the New Covenant
Philological studies "Paulus - Kijken in Uw lezend gezicht" ("Paul - Looking into Your Reading Face", 2012) and "Geschreven en toegeschreven" ("Scribed and Ascribed", 2013) by Charles Vergeer
Collection: The King
Tribute to: Vergeer, Charles

A country without

music, with residents who --

think they are happy.



Land zonder muziek,	Land ohne Musik,
met inwoners die denken --	mit Einwohnern, die glauben --

gelukkig te zijn.	dass sie glücklich sind.

Poem S2111
Amsterdam, 2024-01-30
Outside, it's Monday (J. Bernlef) - 2003
Having to live gravely and modestly according to the rules of faith
Novel "Buiten is het maandag", § 7-3
Collection: Rasping ants
Tribute to: Bernlef, J.

The minaret sticks

accusingly in our house --

its shadow finger.



De minaret steekt	Das Minarett steckt
beschuldigend in ons huis --	anklagend in unser Haus --

haar schaduwvinger.	Sein Schattenfinger.

Poem H4397
Amsterdam, 2023-12-25
Midnight's Children (Salman Rushdie) - 1981
Novel, chapter 2-14 "Jamila Singer"
Collection: Shadows
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman

My light will go out,

it couldn't get any darker --

Here I am. Take me.



Mijn licht zal doven,	Mein Licht wird enden,
donkerder kan het niet zijn --	es könnte nicht dunkler sein --

Hier ben ik. Neem mij.	Hier bin ich. Nimm mich.

Poem H4322
Amsterdam, 2023-11-30
You want it darker (Leonard Cohen) - 2016
Isaac calls his father and Abraham answers: "Hineni" ("Here am I", Genesis 22:7), a quotation from Isaiah 6:8 (the calling of the prophet Isaiah): "And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.' " On New Year's Day (Rosh Hashanah), believers repeat this answer.
Song (2016, Leonard Cohen, album "You want it darker")
Collection: Over
Tribute to: Cohen, Leonard

Teaching religion.

First lesson: unbelievers --

do not belong here.



Godsdienstonderwijs.	Glaubensunterricht.
Les 1: ongelovigen --	Lektion 1: Ungläubige --

horen hier niet thuis.	gehören hier nicht.

Poem S2013
Amsterdam, 2023-11-25
Midnight's Children (Salman Rushdie) - 1981
Novel, chapter 1-3 "Hit-the-spittoon"
Collection: Shadows
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman

Zywa Reins of words

Reins of duty and guilt
Innocence prohibited
Playfulness prohibited
Questions prohibited

Reins of decency and patience
Clouds full of impatience
Clouds full of doubt
Clouds full of despair

Bitter pills gilded
Breaths of chill
Draughts of regret
Crusts of exhaustion

Peace forsaken and veiled
Ideals accused
Relationships bruised
Love confused

Reins of Forgiveness
Reins on joy
Reins on desires
Reins on lives

Poem 5382
Amsterdam, 2023-11-17
garden of delight (Lichtbende) - 2023
Light-Art-Concert; light images, organ, voice, percussion, cello, and violin
Collection: org ANP ark
Tribute to: Lichtbende

Zywa Hand washing [1]

We follow our rules
We want to live safely
We demand the right

to live this way
It must and it will
succeed, praying

and making plans
repeating the words
to make them come true

The words harden
solid and impervious
to doubts

The words wash everything off us
We have a clear conscience
and we make a clean sweep

Poem 5366
Amsterdam, 2023-11-07
The apartheid of orthodox believers - Jewish, Christian, Islamic, or Hindu
Collection: The Praised One

Mama watches me,

whether there are any signs --

of Satan in me.



Mama let op mij,	Mama observiert
of er soms tekenen zijn --	mich, ob es Anzeichen gibt --

van Satan in mij.	von Satan in mir.

Poem S1827
Amsterdam, 2023-07-25
Oranges are not the only fruit (Jeanette Winterson) - 1985
Novel, part "Genesis"
Collection: No wonder
Tribute to: Winterson, Jeanette

In His confusion

God left us a commandment --

which became a ban.



In Zijn verwarring	Das Gebot, das Gott
liet God een gebod achter --	uns hinterlassen hatte --

dat een verbod werd.	wurde zum Verbot.

Poem S1803
Amsterdam, 2023-06-24
The free bird and its cages - The history of a donicile (Simon Vestdijk) - 1957
Roman "De vrije vogel en zijn kooien - De geschiedenis van een domicilie", chapter 3-1 [1920]
Collection: Inmost [1]
Tribute to: Vestdijk, Simon

Grandpa is so strict:

storms never thunder, because --

swearing isn't allowed.



Opa is zo streng:	Opa ist sehr streng:
bij onweer dondert het nooit --	Gewitter donnert nie, denn --

want vloeken mag niet.	man soll nicht fluchen.

Poem S1756
Amsterdam, 2023-05-10
Saint Sebastian - The history of a talent (Simon Vestdijk) - 1939
Novel "Sint Sebastiaan - De geschiedenis van een talent", chapter 3-1; novel "Kind tussen vier vrouwen" (1972), § 5 (AD 1908)
Collection: Inmost [1]
Tribute to: Vestdijk, Simon

I'm interested,

all of them, in that respect --

I am just like God.



Godsdiensten hebben	Religionen,
vind ik leuk, in dat opzicht --	ich mag sie alle, darin --

lijk ik wel op God.	bin ich Gott ähnlich.

Poem H3316
Amsterdam, 2022-06-01
Religion is great (Renate Rubinstein) - 1990
Statement by Renate Rubinstein: "Ik ben gek op godsdienst. Ik vind ze allemaal even leuk. Wat dat betreft ben ik net God." ("Religion is great. I like them all equally. In that respect I'm just like God.")
Collection: Unseen
Tribute to: Rubinstein, Renate

Zywa Warrants and soldiers

Often it was their happy piety
sometimes their excessive caution
or the cheeky look in their eyes
I knew where to find them

as if I could smell them
the confessers, simmering
at the cauldron in their small homes
I filled the dungeons with them

They don't want to accept the facts
and prefer to fantasize
about a divine intervention
They are superstitious and rebellious

I know the laws better than they do
and I acted as a free man
without burden or consultation
With warrants and soldiers

Until I heard clearly: Stop.
It's me. Don't go any further.
Listen. And do as I say.
Please send someone else

I replied
I couldn't see anymore
what I should, what should I
do, in God's name?

Poem 2294
Amsterdam, 2019-06-23
Conversion of Saul in the year 38 CE
Collection: The King

Zywa Seats of fire

Sometimes my hope
for peace on earth is brewing
Then I fear a fire or worse
rotting and the uncertainty
what will grow from it

Then today's life is everything
the only thing that matters
though it is difficult for me
to be unpretentious
in being grateful

for my opportunities
to help those in need
the duty which I do
humbly in the black
armour of my faith

The people who are not chosen
for the afterlife have a hard time
There is no mercy
that can ease their lives
no love that brings hope

Poem 2279
Amsterdam, 2019-06-18
Faith, hope and love
Collection: The King

Zywa Praised anonymously

Some people are too great
for a common name, they have
earned a title, the highest

praise that a name can express
however temporary their lives are
and may later be forgotten

no longer considered important
by poets who can enchant
a thousand nights with their tongues

and with half an eye on popular texts
blow up success stories
after the facts have settled down

making them greater than was imaginable
because then they become true, as old
as mankind and the world

Poem 2226
Amsterdam, 2019-04-26
Islamic tradition: Hafsa bint Umar - 632
Jesus and Muhammad are honorary titles
Muhammadun rasulu Ilah = Praise to the messenger of God
Collection: The Praised One

Zywa Surrender

Amma, don't cry, I do what I need to do
Be proud and surrender, let yourself fall
into the hands of mercy

There are no disorderly heads here
On the contrary, we are beside ourselves with anger
about injustice, we are fighting in the light

of death that destroys the old world
brighter than a superstar of thousands
of suns, in which I want to melt if it falls

upon me, and Amma, it also falls upon you
like a holy sword - the wound must
bleed and let life flow away

into a new world, please surrender
and jump through the gate of the judgment
into the arms of mercy

Poem 2124
Amsterdam, 2019-02-25
Disorderly heads: TURKISH ba?ibosak FRENCH bachi-bouzouk = tête déréglée (disordered in the sense of idiot, stupid), the swear word Captain Haddock uses most often
Mahabharata 6:1, 11:12,32, 18:43
Jihad fighter (Islam = Submission, Surrender)
Syria (ar-Raqqa in 2014)
Collection: Short Sermons

Zywa Pioushope

Don't Waste The Well
don't grow rank between the crops

beware, everything is seen
you will be reminded

of what you manage to hide -
angels are registering

Chop what does not bear fruit
to compost for the vegetable garden

Be caring and tender
hold weeds up as an example:

beware, everyone sees it
burn or has to pay extra

which will wear out the fools
Don't eat and drink with them

also avoid the hypocrites, pray
apart from doubters and freethinkers

don't marry a believer
from another doctrine

beware, God sees everything
Don't Waste The Well

Poem 2077
Amsterdam, 2019-02-06
Syria (ar-Raqqa in 634 - Caliph Abu Bakr)
Collection: Short Sermons

Zywa Three walls

I came down from the Arafat
and could not reach the city
I encountered three walls

built of reason, that fruit
from the tree of knowledge
that tempting serpent

with the bad name
Devil
the devil who spoke

to Eve: do it, eat
and to Abraham: don't do it
don't sacrifice your son

Who made his wife and son
rebellious
to stop him

but Abraham gathered stones
and chased away their words
which he already knew

from his own thoughts
that were too devout
for his reason

Seven times
seven times
he threw

Poem 1776
Amsterdam, 2018-05-31
Jamarat (three pillars)
Collection: The Praised One

Zywa The good I receive

Non-believers too
have everything - received:
the world, my life, your life
and the duty to help each other
Everything else is possible

nothing else can go right or wrong
In all languages we wish each other
peace and happiness, the good:

It is our chance and our mission
it is my name, which I don't want to exchange
and certainly wouldn't want to lack
from her clear mouth she's an angel
everyone hears it, non-believers too

Poem 1588
Amsterdam, 2017-10-29
For Taoufik D
Toba [Hebrew] = good >> Tobiah = the goodness of God >> Tawfik/Tevfik/Togiq/Taoufik = the ability or opportunity to achieve success
Collection: Metamorphic body
Dedicated to: Taoufik D

Zywa Pilgrim

They say I should go
I can afford it
but the crowd is not my thing

You have to pay very much attention
and there is no time for prayer
although there are rules on it

which you can't keep
You have to buy them off
for a charity

I want to believe seriously, really
be pious, every day a pilgrim
and reflect on my deeds

be hospitable with respect
for whom I meet
as if I'm welcomed

as a stranger

Poem 1519
Amsterdam, 2017-08-17
Hajj
Collection: Short Sermons

Zywa A new mystery

I can't celebrate today

Have You Yourself laid Your hands
on the king and burdened him
with our sins?

Delivered up to soldiers
he is sacrificed to whom else
but Yourself, so he must be alive

even though he lies in a tomb

May he be the first to reside
in a whole new world
still empty like the desert
where the scapegoat is free?

May now already be the Day

of Mercies, a new mystery
a new faith, according to laws
that are secret to me

but still are somehow implied
in our unsuccessful endeavour
in Your Name, Your holy Name

which I am unworthy to pronounce?

Poem 914
Amsterdam, 2016-12-24
High Priest Simeon Barjona "Cephas" (Simon, son of Jonah, the "Rock"/"Petrus"), in Jerusalem on Passover in the year 30 CE
Day of Mercies: Yom Kippur
Matthew 16:16-17
Collection: The King

Zywa The deed

It should have ended otherwise
With a supplement, a happy end
Now I can only imagine
that there is more than sacrifices
and smoke for God
for us the meat
because it's a holiday
and then we eat meat

Here I am
we said, God first
and then I
to my son
I made the sacrifice
I performed the deed
with my word
Here I am

No angel to be seen

Poem 827
Amsterdam, 2016-11-10
Here I am: "Hin(n)eni"
   Genesis 22:01 God to Abraham
   Genesis 22:07 Abraham to Isaac
   Genesis 22:11 Abraham to the angel
Collection: A Home

The words are rigid,

it's cold and the walls are bare --

soft is the sunlight.



De strenge woorden,	Die strengen Wörter,
de kou, de kale muren --	Kälte und kahlen Wände --

het zachte zonlicht.	mildes Sonnenlicht.

Poem S0003
Amsterdam, 2011-11-18
Church
Collection: The King

Pencil	Pumice	Rain	Loves
Compressed	Birds	Ifless	Photo
Tributes	Dedications	Composers	Home