| We mourn for the king, | |
| although he is still alive -- | |
| here at our table. | |
| Rouw om de koning, | Wir trauern um den |
| ook al leeft hij nog steeds, hier -- | König, obwohl er noch lebt -- |
| aan onze tafel. | an unserem Tisch. |
Amsterdam, 2026-05-26
Interview by Marisa Gubbels with Reverend Casper van Dorp about his short children's film "In de Wolken" ("In the Clouds"), in the NRC of May 26th, 2026
For example, King Arthur and Jesus, King of the Jews
Pentecost
Collection: The King
| 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
| After her death she | |
| still wanders around, too thin -- | |
| to be visible. | |
| Na haar dood blijft ze | Nach ihrem Tod irrt |
| hier maar ronddwalen, te ijl -- | sie noch hier umher, zu dünn -- |
| om zichtbaar te zijn. | um sichtbar zu sein. |
Amsterdam, 2026-03-08
Heart (Geert van Keulen) - 1996
Composition "Herz", for violin and piano, performed on March 8th, 2026 in the Organpark, by Emma Roijackers (violin) and Laurens de Man (piano)
Collection: org anp ARK
Composer: Van Keulen, Geert
| I am running my | |
| daughter out of my body -- | |
| Then she runs with me. | |
| Op de klif loop ik | Ich renne meine |
| mijn dochter mijn lijf uit, maar -- | Tochter aus meinem Körper -- |
| ze rent met me mee. | doch sie rennt mit mir. |
Amsterdam, 2026-03-08
Walking (Anna Enquist) - 2004
Poem "Wandeling", from the collection "De tussentijd" ("The meantime"), in memory of her daughter Margit (1974-2001)
Set to music by Geert van Keulen in 2009: composition "Fünf tragische Lieder" ("Five tragic songs"), song "Wanderung", for baritone and large orchestra, performed on March 8th, 2026 in the Organpark, by Peter Gijsbertsen (baritone), and the following ensemble (arr. Geert van Keulen, 2025): Emma Roijackers and Ruña 't Hart (violin), Joël Waterman (viola), Renée Timmer (cello), Miguel Moreno (double bass), Thies Roorda (flute), Anna Prazares (clarinet), Mees Vos (horn)
Collection: org anp ARK
Tribute to: Enquist, Anna
Composer: Van Keulen, Geert
| Yet, whatever the | |
| basses play, it all sounds sad -- | |
| I keep my eyes closed. | |
| Wat de bassen ook | Die Bässe spielen |
| spelen, alles klinkt droevig -- | und es klingt alles traurig -- |
| Ik sluit mijn ogen. | Ich senke den Blick. |
Amsterdam, 2026-03-08
Praise the height (Anna Enquist) - 2004
Poem "Prijs de hoogte", from the collection "De tussentijd" ("The meantime"), in memory of her daughter Margit (1974-2001)
Set to music by Geert van Keulen in 2009: composition "Fünf tragische Lieder" ("Five tragic songs"), song "Preis die Höhe", for baritone and large orchestra, performed on March 8th, 2026 in the Organpark, by Peter Gijsbertsen (baritone), and the following ensemble (arr. Geert van Keulen, 2025): Emma Roijackers and Ruña 't Hart (violin), Joël Waterman (viola), Renée Timmer (cello), Miguel Moreno (double bass), Thies Roorda (flute), Anna Prazares (clarinet), Mees Vos (horn)
Collection: org anp ARK
Tribute to: Enquist, Anna
Composer: Van Keulen, Geert
| The music sounds low, | |
| as deep and dark as the ground -- | |
| the coffin stands in. | |
| De muziek klinkt laag, | Die Musik klingt tief, |
| diep en donker als de grond -- | so dunkel wie der Boden -- |
| waar de kist in staat. | in dem der Sarg steht. |
Amsterdam, 2026-03-08
Praise the height (Anna Enquist) - 2004
Poem "Prijs de hoogte", from the collection "De tussentijd" ("The meantime"), in memory of her daughter Margit (1974-2001)
Set to music by Geert van Keulen in 2009: composition "Fünf tragische Lieder" ("Five tragic songs"), song "Preis die Höhe", for baritone and large orchestra, performed on March 8th, 2026 in the Organpark, by Peter Gijsbertsen (baritone), and the following ensemble (arr. Geert van Keulen, 2025): Emma Roijackers and Ruña 't Hart (violin), Joël Waterman (viola), Renée Timmer (cello), Miguel Moreno (double bass), Thies Roorda (flute), Anna Prazares (clarinet), Mees Vos (horn)
Collection: org anp ARK
Tribute to: Enquist, Anna
Composer: Van Keulen, Geert
| The singer pulls me | |
| up into a cyclone-eye -- | |
| of bitter comfort. | |
| De zanger trekt me | Der Sänger zieht mich |
| omhoog, in een orkaan-oog -- | empor, in einen Zyklon -- |
| van bittere troost. | bitteren Trostes. |
Amsterdam, 2026-03-08
Praise the height (Anna Enquist) - 2004
Poem "Prijs de hoogte", from the collection "De tussentijd" ("The meantime"), in memory of her daughter Margit (1974-2001)
Set to music by Geert van Keulen in 2009: composition "Fünf tragische Lieder" ("Five tragic songs"), song "Preis die Höhe", for baritone and large orchestra, performed on March 8th, 2026 in the Organpark, by Peter Gijsbertsen (baritone), and the following ensemble (arr. Geert van Keulen, 2025): Emma Roijackers and Ruña 't Hart (violin), Joël Waterman (viola), Renée Timmer (cello), Miguel Moreno (double bass), Thies Roorda (flute), Anna Prazares (clarinet), Mees Vos (horn)
Collection: org anp ARK
Tribute to: Enquist, Anna
Composer: Van Keulen, Geert
| Paint her, paint her so | |
| that I see her again, so -- | |
| that she looks at me. | |
| Schilder haar, schilder | Mal sie, mal sie so, |
| haar zo, dat ik haar weer zie -- | dass ich sie wiedersehe -- |
| en zij mij aankijkt. | und sie mich ansieht. |
Amsterdam, 2026-03-08
Request to the painter (Anna Enquist) - 2004
Poem "Verzoek aan de schilder", from the collection "De tussentijd" ("The meantime"), in memory of her daughter Margit (1974-2001)
Set to music by Geert van Keulen in 2009: composition "Fünf tragische Lieder" ("Five tragic songs"), song "Bitte an den Maler", for baritone and large orchestra, performed on March 8th, 2026 in the Organpark, by Peter Gijsbertsen (baritone), and the following ensemble (arr. Geert van Keulen, 2025): Emma Roijackers and Ruña 't Hart (violin), Joël Waterman (viola), Renée Timmer (cello), Miguel Moreno (double bass), Thies Roorda (flute), Anna Prazares (clarinet), Mees Vos (horn)
Collection: org anp ARK
Tribute to: Enquist, Anna
Composer: Van Keulen, Geert
| It doesn't mean a thing | |
| to you that we mourn you, hey -- | |
| come on, we must live. | |
| Het doet jou niets dat | Dir ist's egal, dass |
| wij om je treuren, vooruit -- | wir um dich trauern, voraus -- |
| leven moeten wij. | leben müssen wir. |
Amsterdam, 2025-08-22
We'll just forget you now (Frida Vogels) - 1994
Poem "We vergeten je nu maar", published in the collection "De harde kern 3" ("The hard core 3", part X [Father]), and in "Diary 1970-1971" (2011) - December 2nd, 1971, Bologna
Collection: Lookout
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida
| My tears want to reach | |
| to heaven, desperate to -- | |
| take you back with them. | |
| Mijn tranen willen | Zum Himmel fließen |
| hoog de hemel in en jou -- | meine Tränen, um dich mit -- |
| mee terug nemen. | zurückzunehmen. |
Amsterdam, 2025-04-30
As long as there is life (Renate Dorrestein) - 2004
Novel "Zolang er leven is", part 3, Winter, chapter Spoken (Ghosts)
Collection: Lookout
Tribute to: Dorrestein, Renate
| We dance and we stamp | |
| our tears into the plank floor -- | |
| crying together. | |
| We dansen, stampen | Unsere Tränen |
| onze tranen de vloer in -- | in den Boden stampfen: wir -- |
| en huilen samen. | weinen gemeinsam. |
Amsterdam, 2025-02-28
Refraction (Rúnar Rúnarsson) - 2024
Film "Ljósbrot" / "When the light breaks"
Collection: Dearme
Tribute to: Rúnarsson, Rúnar
| Condolences can | |
| be a battle: whose loss, whose -- | |
| sorrow is greater? | |
| Rouwbijeenkomsten | Trauerfeiern, ein |
| zijn een strijd: wiens verlies, wiens -- | Kampf: wessen Verlust, wessen -- |
| verdriet is het grootst? | Kummer ist größer? |
Amsterdam, 2025-02-28
Refraction (Rúnar Rúnarsson) - 2024
Film "Ljósbrot" / "When the light breaks"
Collection: Greeting from before
Tribute to: Rúnarsson, Rúnar
| We're back in his house, | |
| and my shoes are on the shelf -- | |
| And his shoes are not. | |
| Terug in zijn huis, | Sein Haus betreten, |
| en mijn schoenen staan er nog -- | meine Schuhe sind noch da -- |
| De zijne niet meer. | Und seine nicht mehr. |
Amsterdam, 2025-02-28
Refraction (Rúnar Rúnarsson) - 2024
Film "Ljósbrot" / "When the light breaks"
Collection: Greeting from before
Tribute to: Rúnarsson, Rúnar
| The mosquitoes buzz | |
| sadly around the net o- | |
| ver my dead husband. | |
| De muggen zoemen | Die Mücken schwirren |
| zo droevig rondom het net -- | so traurig um das Netz um -- |
| om mijn dode man. | meinen toten Mann. |
Amsterdam, 2025-02-11
That sound too (Motojo) - 1776
Haiku by Motojo, after the death of her husband Chora (1722-1776), included in the 1986 collection "Japanese Death Poems", compiled by Yoel Hoffmann: "Ka no koe mo / kanashiki kaya no / atari kana" ("The drone of the mosquitoes / round the netting, too, / is sad")
Collection: Em Brace
Tribute to: Motojo
| I want to cherish | |
| my sorrow, not share it but -- | |
| only hear myself. | |
| Ik wil mijn verdriet | Ich möchte meine |
| koesteren, het niet delen -- | Traurigkeit nicht teilen -- |
| maar mezelf horen. | nur mich selbst hören. |
Amsterdam, 2024-12-25
We prefer to hear ourselves (Renate Dorrestein) - 2014
Story "Liever horen we onszelf" (audio book 2014, reading book 2017)
Collection: Em Brace
Tribute to: Dorrestein, Renate
| The ground beneath her | |
| feet has taken her, the earth -- | |
| whose praises I sang. | |
| De grond onder haar | Der Boden unter |
| voeten nam haar, de aarde -- | ihr nahm sie auf, die Erde -- |
| die ik geroemd heb. | deren Lob ich sang. |
Amsterdam, 2024-02-22
The Ground Beneath Her Feet (Salman Rushdie) - 1999
Novel, chapter 15 Beneath her feet
Song "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" (lyrics Salman Rushdie [1999], music U2, album "All That You Can't Leave Behind" [2000]) - Earthquake / Orpheus mourns
Collection: Sludge
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman; U2
| It has made me sad | |
| that I cannot remember -- | |
| my dream about her. | |
| Ik ben verdrietig, | Es macht mich traurig, |
| mijn mooie droom over haar -- | ich habe den schönen Traum -- |
| ben ik vergeten. | von ihr vergessen. |
Amsterdam, 2024-01-29
Outside, it's Monday (J. Bernlef) - 2003
Novel "Buiten is het maandag", § 7-2
Collection: Moist glow
Tribute to: Bernlef, J.
| Grandma's funeral | |
| is a theatre act, masked -- | |
| I undergo it. | |
| Oma's uitvaart is | Omas Bestattung |
| theaterspel, gemaskerd -- | ist ein Theater, maskiert -- |
| onderga ik het. | erleide ich es. |
Amsterdam, 2023-09-08
A Change of tongue (Antjie Krog) - 2003
Tale, part 1 § 6, "Chapter eight"
Collection: Shelter
Tribute to: Krog, Antjie
| The world is spinning | |
| now that you're gone, I must stand -- | |
| real still not to fall. | |
| De wereld tolt nu | Du bist weg, die Welt |
| jij weg bent, ik moet stilstaan -- | dreht sich, ich muss still stehen -- |
| om niet te vallen. | um nicht zu fallen. |
Amsterdam, 2022-10-31
Collection: Eyes lips chest and belly
| It hurts, time stands still, | |
| darling, you don't get older -- | |
| you hang on the wall. | |
| Het doet pijn, de tijd | Es tut Weh, die Zeit |
| staat stil, jij wordt niet ouder -- | steht still, du wirst nicht älter -- |
| je hangt aan de muur. | du hängst an der Wand. |
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
| 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
| At night we go to | |
| the stars, alas, returning -- | |
| badly beaten up. | |
| 's Nachts rijden we naar | Nachts fahren wir zu |
| de sterren, keren echter -- | den Sternen, kehren aber -- |
| geslagen terug. | geschlagen zurück. |
Amsterdam, 2018-10-08
Back (Eva Gerlach) - 1987
Poem "Terug" (collection "Domicilie")
Collection: Moist glow
Tribute to: Gerlach, Eva
| That's the way it is | |
| and sure, it may be all-right -- | |
| yet we do resist. | |
| Het is zo en zo | Es ist so und so |
| zal het ook wel goed zijn, toch -- | wird es schon gut sein, trotzdem -- |
| verzetten we ons. | versetzen wir uns. |
Amsterdam, 2017-12-03
On the death of Herman H
Collection: Blown sand
Dedicated to: Ineke J, Mark H, Christel H, Ellen H, Marianne H
| Inconsolable | |
| you are, and I am poor, how -- | |
| could I comfort you? | |
| Ontroostbaar ben jij, | Du bist untröstlich, |
| en ik ben arm, hoe zou ik -- | und ich bin arm, wie könnte -- |
| jou kunnen troosten? | ich dich dann trösten? |
Amsterdam, 2017-09-19
I think of lives more real than mine (Frida Vogels) - 1994
Poem "Ik denk aan echter levens dan het mijne", published in "De harde kern" - 3 (1994), and in "Diary 1958-1959" (2006) - November 12th, 1959, Milan
Collection: Beyond the Cape
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida
| Leave me free, don't leave, | |
| now that he's no longer here. | |
| Leave me the sorrow. | |
| Laat mij vrij, niet los, | Lass mich frei, nicht los, |
| nu mijn lief er niet meer is. | jetzt, wo er nicht mehr da ist. |
| Laat me het verdriet. | Lass mir die Trauer. |
Amsterdam, 2014-06-07
Collection: Pending rain
