Wanting to shelter

together again in that --


draughty room of ours.


Weer samen willenWieder gemeinsam
schuilen in dat tochtige --Schutz zu finden in diesem --

kamertje van ons.zugigen Zimmer.

Poem S2836
Amsterdam, 2025-08-05
Back to a privacy (Frida Vogels) - 1994
Verse "Terug naar een beslotenheid", published in the collection "De harde kern 3" ("The hard core 3", part V [Mother], and in "Diary 1966-1967" (2009) - June 22nd, 1966, Bologna
Collection: Self-portraits
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida 
 

In the attic with

sick Paul I feel safe, I read --


to him: Wa-wa-wa.


Bij de zieke PaulBeim kranken Paul fühl
voel ik me veilig, ik lees --ich mich sicher, ich lese --

hem voor: Wa-wa-wa.ihm vor: Wa-wa-wa.

Poem H5641
Amsterdam, 2025-06-27
In foreign parts - Chronicles (Frida Vogels) - 2024
Autobiography "In den vreemde - Kronieken", chapter 'Thuis' (Home) - Frida is 3 years old and is staying with family (Dordrecht, 1933)
Collection: ThereFrom
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida 
 

Only in the lap

of relaxation and warmth --


babies fall asleep.


Alleen in de schootNur im warmen Schoß
van ontspanning en warmte --spannungsfreier Zuwendung --

slapen baby's in.schlafen Babys ein.

Poem H5485
Amsterdam, 2025-05-21
With a photo of Lotte on Paul's lap, one month after her birth (February 19th, 2012, Grossdietwil)

Paul and Lotte

Collection: web tissue
Dedicated to: Lotte W, Paul J 
 

Come to me, I need

to live today, breathe calmly --


lying close to you.


Kom bij mij, ik moetKomm zu mir, ich muss
leven, rustig ademen --leben, muss ruhig atmen --

dicht bij jou liggen.nah an dir liegen.

Poem H5094
Amsterdam, 2024-11-24
Collection: web tissue
Dedicated to: Maria Godschalk 
 

The woods are peaceful,

they surround me with soft sounds --


and I become calm.


Het bos is vredig,Der Wald ist friedlich,
omringt mij met geluiden --umgibt mich mit Geräuschen --

en brengt mij tot rust.und beruhigt mich.

Poem H4776
Amsterdam, 2024-07-15
Air "What a fresh sky" (Ranieri de' Calzabigi / Christoph Willibald Gluck) - 1762
Air "Che puro ciel" / "Quel nouveau ciel" from the opera "Orfeo ed Euridice" ("Orpheus and Eurydice"), second act, conclusion of the second scene
Collection: Stall
Tribute to: De' Calzabigi, Ranieri 
Composer: Gluck, Christoph W. 
 

Oh, what to do now?

My darling, do not despair --


Come into my arms!


Oh, hoe moet het nu?Oh, was machen wir?
Mijn lieveling, wanhoop niet --Mein Liebling, sei sicher, komm --

Kom in mijn armen!in meine Arme!

Poem H4769
Amsterdam, 2024-07-14
Duet "Father!" (Victor Hugo / Francesco Maria Piave / Giuseppe Verdi) - 1832
Duet "Mio padre!" from the opera "Rigoletto" (1851, "Rigolo" = funny-man, funny, amusing), second act; based on the play "Le roi s'amuse" (1832, "The king has fun")
Collection: Tardiness in Acceleration
Tribute to: Hugo, Victor; Piave, Francesco Maria 
Composer: Verdi, Giuseppe 
 

Just come into my

garden, here, under my sky --


my sun is shining.


Kom maar in mijn tuin,Komm nur in meinen
want hier onder mijn hemel --Garten, in dem immer hell --

schijnt altijd mijn zon.meine Sonne scheint.

Poem H4335
Amsterdam, 2023-12-04
there is another sky (Emily Dickinson) - 1851
Poem (Franklin A13-2, Johnson #2)
Collection: Finethreads
Tribute to: Dickinson, Emily 
 

Zywa Everything safe

Touching with caution
warmth upon warmth
kissing hairs

nails very softly
in circles and strokes
across your back

Everything safe, breathe
Falling asleep dreamlessly
and still know it

Whatever the day was like
whatever tomorrow's
program is: caressing hand

happy back
buttocks kiss
the warm belly

Poem 5348
Amsterdam, 2023-10-22
Collection: Dearme
Dedicated to: Maria Godschalk 
 

I slept like a bean

in the pod of my car, in --


my cradle, my egg.


Ik sliep als een boonWie eine Bohne
in de dop van mijn auto --in der Hülse, wie im Ei --

in mijn wieg, mijn ei.schlief ich im Auto.

Poem H4231
Amsterdam, 2023-10-19
The Egg - 1 (Louise Glück) - 1967
Poem (in "Poetry", March 1967)
Collection: Stream
Tribute to: Glück, Louise 
 

Where the thrush sings, there

in the tree it is, the most --


intimate shelter.


Waar de lijster zingt,Wo die Drossel singt,
daar in de boom, daar is het --mitten im Baum, dort ist das --

intiemste plekje.intimste Versteck.

Poem H4109
Amsterdam, 2023-09-05
it rumbles softly (Antjie Krog) - 2006
Poem "Agt menopousale sonnette" - (1) "dit rammel sag" (series "Eight menopausal sonnets", collection "Verweerskrif" ["Body bereft"])
Collection: Shelter
Tribute to: Krog, Antjie 
 

You're asleep, I know,

nothing does matter, nothing --


is more important.


Jij ligt te slapen,Du schläfst im Dunkeln,
en ik besef, er is niets --und mir ist klar, es gibt nichts --

niets belangrijkers.nichts Wichtigeres.

Poem H3992
Amsterdam, 2023-07-29
The PowerBook (Jeanette Winterson) - 2000
Novel, chapter "VIEW"
Collection: Loves Tricks Gains Pains in the years 2000-2009
Tribute to: Winterson, Jeanette 
 

There is need for priests,

right in an enlightened time --


without believers.


Priesters zijn nodig,Priester sind wichtig
juist in een verlichte tijd --in aufgeklärten Zeiten --

zonder godsgeloof.ohne Gläubige.

Poem S1737
Amsterdam, 2023-04-14
The time of the angels (Iris Murdoch) - 1966
Novel, § 7
Collection: Dreams of love
Tribute to: Murdoch, Iris 
 

The café is full,

I am outside and I feel --


the comfort that's there.


Het café zit vol,Das Café ist voll,
ik sta buiten en ik voel --ich bin draußen und fühle --

de geborgenheid.die Geborgenheit.

Poem H3781
Amsterdam, 2023-04-01
The Office - The Death of Maarten Koning (Han Voskuil) - 2000
Novel "Het Bureau - De dood van Maarten Koning"
Page 93, Maarten Koning (1988)

Collection: Frustration
Tribute to: Voskuil, Han 
 

I don't want to be

a dove or wolf, just have peace --


inside a boulder.


Een duif, een tijger,Ich möchte kein Wolf,
wil ik niet zijn, ik wil rust --kein Spatz sein, nur ausruhen --

binnen in een steen.in einem Felsblock.

Poem H3440
Amsterdam, 2022-09-13
Stone (Charles Simic) - 1971
Poem (collection "Dismantling the Silence")
Collection: Shelter
Tribute to: Simic, Charles 
 

Crawl into a stone,

maybe there is enough light --


on the wall writings.


In een steen kruipen,In den Stein kriechen,
misschien valt er genoeg licht --vielleicht gibt es genug Licht --

op de wandtekens.an den Wandzeichen.

Poem H3441
Amsterdam, 2022-09-13
Stone (Charles Simic) - 1971
Poem (collection "Dismantling the Silence")
Collection: Shelter
Tribute to: Simic, Charles 
 

My future is short,

so please let me find shelter --


find shelter in you.


Mijn toekomst is kort,Die Zukunft ist kurz,
laat me alsjeblieft in jou --also lass mich nur in dich:

beschutting vinden.Schutz finden in dir.

Poem H3365
Amsterdam, 2022-07-07
Collection: Shelter
Dedicated to: Maria Godschalk 
 

I like to nestle

between my thick pussy cats --


the divan cushions.


Ik nestel me graagIch kuschl mich gerne
tussen mijn dikke poezen --zwischen den dicken Katzen --

de divankussens.die Diwan-Kissen.

Poem H3171
Amsterdam, 2022-01-07
An accidental man (Iris Murdoch) - 1971
Novel
Collection: Stall
Tribute to: Murdoch, Iris 
 

Squat down, knees to chin,

and your arms tight around them --


safe like angel's wings.


Hurk, knieën tot kin,Hocke, Knie zum Kinn,
en je armen eromheen --die Arme um sie herum --

als engelvleugels.wie Engelsflügel.

Poem H3143
Amsterdam, 2021-12-12
pull back (Sylvie Marie) - 2018
Poem "trek terug" (collection "hou din gen")
Collection: Em Brace
Tribute to: Marie, Sylvie 
 

I have a gun and

like to have it with me, but --


where can I put it?


Ik heb een pistool,Die Waffe möchte
ik wil het bij mij hebben --ich mit mir haben, aber --

maar waar laat ik het?wo lasse ich sie?

Poem S1254
Amsterdam, 2021-10-10
In the fog of the Underworld (Willem Frederik Hermans) - 1993
Novella "In de mist van het schimmenrijk"
Collection: May the Might
Tribute to: Hermans, Willem Frederik 
 

I want a shoulder,

a lap, and tender kisses --


on the bitterness.


Ik wil een schouder,Ich möchte Arme,
een schoot, en zoete kussen --einen Schoß, süße Küsse --

op de bitterheid.auf der Bitterkeit.

Poem H3049
Amsterdam, 2021-09-19
Collection: On living on [1]
Dedicated to: Maria Godschalk 
 

I lived happily,

comfortably in the blue --


big egg of heaven.


Ik was gelukkig,Ich lebte glücklich,
geborgen in het grote --geborgen im großen Ei --

ei van de hemel.der Himmelskuppel.

Poem H3036
Overberg, 2021-09-06
Bruno's Dream (Iris Murdoch) - 1969
Novel
Collection: Dreams of love
Tribute to: Murdoch, Iris 
 

Darling, go ahead,

then I can make love to you --


in warm bed linen.


Liefste, ga alvast,Liebling, geh schonmal,
dan kan ik met je vrijen --dann werde ich dich lieben --

in warm beddegoed.in warmem Bettzeug.

Poem H2801
Amsterdam, 2020-10-11
She wants to close the mosquito net to make love (Bu Lin) - 1020
Collection: Love Mind and Death
Tribute to: Lin, Bu 
 

My cat folds into

the small box, her eyes are closed --


with euphoria.


Mijn poes vouwt zich inKatze im Karton,
de kleine doos, ogen dicht --mit geschlossenen Augen --

van welbehagen.vor Wohlbefinden.

Poem H2772
De Koog, 2020-09-05
The thigmophile - The longing for comfort (Midas Dekkers) - 2015
Book "De thigmofiel - Het verlangen naar geborgenheid"
Collection: Home sea
Tribute to: Dekkers, Midas 
 

The wider the heath,

the more I am longing for --


a cosy cabin.


Hoe wijdser de hei,Auf dem weiten Moor
hoe meer ik ga verlangen --sehne ich mich nach einer --

naar een knus hutje.lauschigen Hütte.

Poem H2773
De Koog, 2020-09-05
The thigmophile - The longing for comfort (Midas Dekkers) - 2015
Book "De thigmofiel - Het verlangen naar geborgenheid"
Collection: Home sea
Tribute to: Dekkers, Midas 
 

It is not my size,

a castle can't be my home --


it doesn't touch my skin.


Het is mijn maat niet,Ein Schloss ist zu groß:
een kasteel wordt nooit mijn thuis --kein Zuhause, keine Haut --

het raakt mijn huid niet.wird davon berührt.

Poem H2774
De Koog, 2020-09-05
The thigmophile - The longing for comfort (Midas Dekkers) - 2015
Book "De thigmofiel - Het verlangen naar geborgenheid"
Collection: Home sea
Tribute to: Dekkers, Midas 
 

You have licked the brine

from my tears, we gnaw a home --


inside each other.


Jij likt de pekelWir nagen uns ein
van mijn tranen, we knagen --Zuhause in einander --

een thuis in elkaar.lecken die Tränen.

Poem H2617
Amsterdam, 2019-11-16
Eighteen Days Without You - December 11th (Anne Sexton) - 1969
Poem (collection "Love Poems")
Collection: Loves Tricks Gains Pains in the years 1960-1979
Tribute to: Sexton, Anne 
 

At three in the night

I have a hot chocolate --


my sweet brown mama.


Midden in de nachtMitten in der Nacht
drink ik warme chocola --trinke ich heißen Kakao --

mijn bruine mama.die braune Mama.

Poem H2619
Amsterdam, 2019-11-16
The Ambition Bird (Anne Sexton) - 1972
Poem (collection "The Book of Folly")
Collection: Em Brace
Tribute to: Sexton, Anne 
 

I ride on the bus,

the day begins, I wake up --


in trusted landscapes.


Ik zit in de bus,Ich sitze im Bus,
de dag begint, ik ontwaak --es wird Tag, ich wache auf --

in vertrouwd landschap.in vertrautem Land.

Poem H2607
Amsterdam, 2019-11-15
Collection: Migration
Dedicated to: Florentin dK 
 

Zywa Who will comfort me?

I am shocked by the question
to myself: who will comfort me?
Where are the arms

that rock me happy
and promise me a bright future?
With whom will I be safe?

     Come on girl, there is more
     under the sun, it shines
     look around you, smell
     the weather, you have your nose

     your eyes, ears, and mouth
     and your hands of course
     not just for the love
     of a man, of a child

But the world is so big
I want someone
for myself, a home

where I recharge
I want someone
to embrace, four arms

that feel together
that I am a woman
to love

Poem 2358
Amsterdam, 2019-07-09
Collection: Dearme
Dedicated to: Maria Godschalk 
 

Zywa Our sky is soft (the world is not here)

We know the images
know what war is
but the bunkers are empty
Our sky is soft

We know the people
with passing paces they walk
home in a spiny skin
cautiously over the sandpaper

of the hurry of their lives
They take a subscription
to series and the hospital
which is always cheap

We know the paths
beyond the musty acid air
of fresh building rubble
they bend

through muddy fields full
of fellow-sufferers in luxury cardboard boxes
and pathetic stray dogs
bur our sky is soft

the world is not here
under the red sheet
of mama's bed
on a holiday

Poem 1850
Amsterdam, 2018-09-28
Collection: On living on [2]
 

Zywa Safe in a square

An upper floor apartment, a square
where I am safe, having nothing
I can be robbed from, with internet
and a sofa bed

it is the way of life

of my friends-of:
come, don't do anything stupid
then you will be fine again
the storm will rage out

while you are in our square


Maybe I'll find a way
for myself, an area outside
where I find satisfaction
and yes, what you say

a calm inside

Poem 1691
Amsterdam, 2018-02-25
The square (Ruben Östlund) - 2017
Film
Asulos (Asylum) = not to rob, not to steal, immune; free from, secure against

Collection: Bruises
Tribute to: Östlund, Ruben 
 

Weightless, I am rocked,

embedded in the warm moon --


of your body curve.


Gewichtloos dein ik,Schwerelos schauklend
gebed in de warme maan --lieg' ich im warmen Mondbett --

van jouw lichaamskom.deines Körpertals.

Poem H1422
Amsterdam, 2016-05-01
Collection: Moons
Dedicated to: Dory dK 
 

The double row of trees,

waving us towards the house --


into a safe trap.


De dubbele rijDie doppelte Baum-
bomen wuift ons naar het huis --uns in Richtung Haus, eine --

een veilige val.sichere Falle.

Poem H0899
Amsterdam, 2014-04-06
Countryside (Anna Enquist) - 1996
Poem "Op het land" (collection "Klaarlichte dag")
Collection: Shelter
Tribute to: Enquist, Anna 
 

Cold rain being blown

under my hood, the shelter --


of the mosquito.


Een koude regenKalter Regen bläst
waait onder mijn capuchon --unter meiner Kapuze --

De mug komt schuilen.Die Mücke sucht Schutz.

Poem H0552
Amsterdam, 2013-08-13
Collection: The Praised One
 

Smoke plumes everywhere,

curling up from the chimneys:


comfort, a hot meal.


Overal pluimenÜberall Fahnen
van rook uit de schoorstenen:von Rauch aus den Schornsteinen:

comfort, warm eten.Komfort und Essen.

Poem H0232
Amsterdam, 2012-03-03
Collection: NightWatch
 

At last there's a flag,

flapping next to a café --


like a crackling fire.


Eindelijk een vlagEndlich, ein Café;
van een café, hij klappert:das Klappern einer Fahne:

een knapperend vuur.knisterndes Feuer.

Poem H0106
Julianadorp, 2011-12-28
Collection: On living on [1]
 

 

 
House
Rekem, 1986-09-18
Collection: Photo's 1986
 

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