You don't kick the stone

away, you shrink and then climb --


it as a mountain.


Je schopt het steentjeDu stößt den Kiesel
niet weg, je krimpt en beklimt --nicht weg, du schrumpfst und erklimmst --

het dan als een berg.ihn wie einen Berg.

Poem S2856
Amsterdam, 2025-08-09
You found a pebble in front of your foot; you didn't kick it away, but (Frida Vogels) - 1994
Verse "Je vond een steentje voor je voet; je schopte het niet weg, maar", published in the collection "De harde kern 3" ("The hard core 3", part VI [Kees]), and in "Diary 1968-1969" (2010) - January 6th, 1968, Bologna
Collection: Between us
Tribute to: Vogels, Frida 
 

I have two friends, my

intellect during the day,


the Sandman at night.


Ik heb twee vrienden,Ich hab zwei Freunde,
overdag mijn verstand, 's nachts --meinen Verstand bei Tag, und --

het zandmannetje.den Sandmann bei Nacht.

Poem H5511
Amsterdam, 2025-05-26
With a photo of Madelief (3 years old) and the Little Sandman (November 2002, Wolhusen)
Madelief also had an imaginary friend named Nukelei

Madelief

Collection: Between us
Dedicated to: Madelief dK 
 

Is growing older

an enrichment, does it make --


you more confident?


Is ouder wordenSind die ältere
een verrijking, word je dan --Menschen bereichert, sind sie --

zelfverzekerder?ja selbstsicherer?

Poem S2660
Amsterdam, 2025-05-12
Seven kinds of hunger (Renate Dorrestein) - 2016
Novel "Zeven soorten honger", part Monday, chapter Two
Collection: Between us
Tribute to: Dorrestein, Renate 
 

You appreciate

my work, you make me feel more --


and more beautiful.


Jij spreekt waarderendMeine Arbeit wird
over mijn werk en ik voel --von dir geschätzt, ich fühle --

me mooier worden.mich immer schöner.

Poem H5437
Amsterdam, 2025-05-04
Listen (Sacha Bronwasser) - 2023
Novel "Luister", part III, Flo and M. 1987-1989
Collection: Germ Substance
Tribute to: Bronwasser, Sacha 
 

In a group I don't

feel inferior, never --


I am arrogant.


In een groep voel ik,Ich fühle mich nie
me nooit de mindere, geen --minderwertig, ich bin gar --

eigendunk heb ik.nicht aufgeblasen.

Poem H5006
Amsterdam, 2024-10-24
I kiss your hands a thousand times - Faxing to Ger #6 (Nicolien Mizee) - 2024
Diary novel "Ik kus uw handen duizendmaal - Faxen aan Ger #6", October 25th, 2000
Collection: In the shadow
Tribute to: Mizee, Nicolien 
 

We didn't dare, but could

we have done it anyway?


Just believe in it?


We durfden het niet,Wir wagten es nicht,
maar hadden we het gekund?hätten wir es tun können?

Erin geloven?Einfach dran glauben?

Poem H3901
Amsterdam, 2023-06-29
The filling station on the route - 2 (Jan Baeke) - 2013
Poem "Het tankstation op de route" - 2 (collection "Het tankstation op de route")
Collection: Stall
Tribute to: Baeke, Jan 
 

Zywa Doubt and Confidence

In case of doubt you must
dare
and lose your balance momentarily
have confidence in yourself
that you will be all right

Dare to do
what you doubt
whether you will do it
or dare to doubt
against everything

and not to do
what is expected of you
what you thought to expect
from yourself, that you would dare
to do anyway, doubtingly

In case of doubt you must
dare
and not lose your balance
have confidence in yourself
that you can go a way of your own

Poem 4820
Amsterdam, 2022-11-19
Why it's okay if you don't dare (Stine Jensen) - 2022
Column "Waarom het oké is als je niet durft" (in NRC, November 18th, 2022)
"To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily, not to dare is to lose oneself", from: "Begrebet Angest" ("The Concept of Anxiety", 1844, Søren Kierkegaard)

Collection: The Praised One
Tribute to: Jensen, Stine; Kierkegaard, Søren 
 

Zywa My fairy myself

Mama leaves it up to me
that I do not fight nor join
the popular girls, I

won't let anyone put me in my place
I don't want to be more or less
and I distrust their attention

Mama leaves it up to me
what I'm wearing, she gives me money
for glass slippers

but I'd rather be dressed as usual
when I attend the New Year's party
without having to turn down the boys

Mama leaves it up to me
to grab the reins and
brush and feed the mares

of my dreams
and learn from good luck
to be my fairy myself

Poem 2533
Amsterdam, 2019-12-08
Cinderella
Collection: Lilith's Powers
 

Zywa Blind heroes

I hesitate pressing my feet
on the narrow path through the marsh
cautiously gaining confidence
to return to the world

Dancing elves in the diffused light
maybe it's will-o'-the-wisp
trying to drown me

My wishes are groping around
in the mist of uncertainty
as blind heroes on the run
from themselves

and searching for the courage
that hides
between light and dark

Inside me there's a buzz
the song of an air
bursting into the open
and leaping in the world

I go after it
and play with the light
in the dark

Poem 1970
Amsterdam, 2018-12-09
Light and dark - I (Jan Welmers) - 1996
Part 1 and 3 of:
"Licht en donker" - I, versie voor marimba en altsaxofoon ("Light and dark" - I, version for marimba and altsaxophone)

Collection: ORG anp ark 
Composer: Welmers, Jan 
 

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