Zywa Astonishment

Books full, I write
down my astonishment
It seems to be who I am -
as far as I know
(since I was six)

I didn't understand the teacher
my exploding father, mama
and my older brother
Why shouldn't I have said
what I knew and what was true?

Not even when asked!
That the neighbour was drunk
that one boy was stupid, and
that you shouldn't play soccer
in a cluster! Go away! Professor!

Show-off! Chatter-box! Cry-baby!

I couldn't help the tears
They came from other people's lack
of understanding and when I was honest while
all the children lied without batting an eyelid

Apparently, that's how it should be
or it's private

Poem 5922
Amsterdam, 2026-02-24
My Struggle - 3. Boyhood Island (Karl Ove Knausgård) - 2009
Autobiographical novel "Min Kamp. Tredje bok" (translation 2014), part 4, the first months at primary school on the island of Tromøya
Collection: Leaving
Tribute to: Knausgård, Karl Ove 
 

There's some truth leaking

from the joke, hey, every joke --


has a hole somewhere.


Er lekt wat waarheidEtwas Wahrheit tropft
uit het grapje, elk grapje --aus dem Witz, ja, jeder Witz --

heeft wel een gaatje.hat ein kleines Loch.

Poem H5931
Schin op Geul, 2025-09-05
Angel (Wanda Bommer), Jumping beans (Wanda Bommer) - 2009
Novel "Engel" (2009), chapter 2, paragraph 12 (forward button)
Novel "Springbonen" (2017), part 3: 'One', page 201

Collection: Known
Tribute to: Bommer, Wanda 
 

It is great to bring

something to light, without words --


showing the secret!


Wow, iets aan het lichtEtwas ans Licht zu
te brengen, zonder woorden --bringen, ohne Worte das --

het geheim tonen!Geheimnis zeigen!

Poem H4990
Amsterdam, 2024-10-19
the ground beneath her feet (Salman Rushdie) - 1999
Novel, chapter 8 The Decisive Moment
Collection: Sludge
Tribute to: Rushdie, Salman 
 

Am I vindictive?

With flaming sword, an angel --


telling you the truth?


Ben ik wraakzuchtig?Bin ich rachsüchtig?
Met vlammend zwaard, een engel --Mit Flammenschwert, ein Engel --

die de waarheid zegt?der die Wahrheit sagt?

Poem H4008
Amsterdam, 2023-08-01
The Queen of the Tambourine (Jane Gardam) - 1991
Novel, § January 22nd? (1990)
Collection: WriteWiser signage
Tribute to: Gardam, Jane 
 

Always with measure,

also and above all truth --


It is poisonous!


Alles met mate,Alles in Maßen,
ook en vooral de waarheid --auch und zumeist die Wahrheit --

want die is giftig!denn sie ist giftig!

Poem S1197
Amsterdam, 2021-07-04
An Enemy of the people (Henrik Ibsen) - 1882
Play "En Folkefiende"
Collection: VacantVoid
Tribute to: Ibsen, Henrik 
 

To write a good text

you must dare to be naked --


to be embarrassed.


Om goed te schrijvenUm gut zu schreiben
moet je jezelf blootgeven --musst du's wagen, zu zeigen --

je durven schamen.wofür du dich schämst.

Poem H2677
Amsterdam, 2020-03-13
The parts that embarrass you (Irwin Allen Ginsberg) - 1970
Irwin Allen Ginsberg on writing
Collection: WriteWiser signage 
Tribute to: Ginsberg, Allen 
 

A photo is true,

a film too, twenty-four times --


of truth, per second.


Een foto is waar,Wahrheit: Fotos, und
films zijn vierentwintig keer --Filme vierundzwanzig Mal --

waar, per seconde.jede Sekunde.

Poem H2540
Amsterdam, 2019-08-05
The little soldier (Jean-Luc Godard) - 1963
Film "Le petit soldat" - Attentive observation is the basis of every truth
Collection: Held True
Tribute to: Godard, Jean-Luc 
 

Zywa Illuminate

Not write You Now! or I Why?
but more than a subject:
truths
skilfully collect them
prune and rebind them

in stories and novels -
make an exemplary report
against forgetting
the unique battle or
the special failure

in an argument or poem -
expose and illuminate lovingly
the unseen aspects
and the hidden patterns
or explore the unknown

Poem 2309
Amsterdam, 2019-06-27
"U Nu!" ("You Now!", 1620, Vondel)
"I Why?" (1946, Charles Ghigna)
Anything that is illuminated is not hidden
According to the Greek word aletheia a truth is: unhiddenness

Collection: The light of words
Tribute to: Vondel; Chinga, Charles 
 

Many a man thinks

that someday it will turn out:


I've always been right!


Menig man denkt datSo mancher Mann glaubt,
het wel een keer zal blijken:es wird sich herausstellen:

Ik had toch gelijk!Ich hatte doch recht!

Poem H2456
Amsterdam, 2019-05-07
The china shop - Faxing to Ger #2 (Nicolien Mizee) - 2018
Diary-novel "De porseleinkast - Faxen aan Ger" - November 28th, 1997
Collection: In the shadow
Tribute to: Mizee, Nicolien 
 

Zywa Experience (the theatre of the poet)

If I formulate nicely
I always say something
that is known or true
but I prefer
the operating theatre

being precise
with few
ordinary words
to free a truth

from my experiences
something with the same meaning
in other languages and respects
so generally human

that everyone can be initiated
into it by his body, that, by nature
does not lie, but we prefer
to command it
rather than listen to it

Poem 2081
Amsterdam, 2019-02-10
Collection: The light of words
 

Zywa Tally stick of man

My hand, accomplice, writes down
what the winds of time wish to
keep, blown into me, drawn out
of me, and kneaded

into common words, short
sermons in comprehensible lumps
and every time adding a dash
on the tally stick of man

All the worldly wisdom hidden
in clouds of short-sight between
blinkers and closed doors
against the fear of getting too little

And so many emotions with it
about past, present and future
not to mention the
reproaches and apologies

Poem 1990
Amsterdam, 2018-12-15
Collection: The light of words
 

Sometimes you have to

express out loud what you think --


to validate it.


Soms een gedachteManchmal muss man laut
hardop moeten uitspreken --ausdrücken, was man bedenkt --

dan is ze geldig.dann ist es gültig.

Poem H2299
Amsterdam, 2018-10-05
How everything had to begin (Thomas Verbogt) - 2017
Novel "Hoe alles moest beginnen"
Collection: May the Might
Tribute to: Verbogt, Thomas 
 

A poem should be

painful, screaming, and never --


agreeing with me.


Gedichten moetenGedichte sollen
pijnlijk zijn, schreeuwen, en nooit --schmerzhaft sein, schreien, und mir --

het met mij eens zijn.niemals zustimmen.

Poem H2244
Amsterdam, 2018-06-28
Conditions that a poem must meet (Toon Tellegen) - 1998
Poem "Voorwaarden waaraan een gedicht moet voldoen" (collection "Gewone gedichten")
Collections: Perhaps / Some day / Occasionally / Almost, A profession 
Tribute to: Tellegen, Toon 
 

The drilling eye whisks

the ego-vibrations out --


of the brain-pea fat.


Het innerlijkeDas innere Bohr-
oog klutst egotrillingen --Auge quirlt das Ego aus --

uit het denkerwtvet.dem Denk-Erbse-Fett.

Poem H1651
Amsterdam, 2017-01-12
Tom Puss and The Drilling Eye (Marten Toonder) - 1967
Comic strip #117 - "Tom Poes en Het Booroog", tier 5937
Painter Terpen Tijn (Turpen Tine) is based on master forger Joannes Diekman (psuedonym: Dick Eterman)

Collection: Puss & Lord
Tribute to: Toonder, Marten 
 

With scraps of paper

I am lighting little lights --


in hearts of readers.


Met stukjes papierMit Papierfetzen
steek ik kleine lichtjes aan --zünde ich mal Lichter an --

in lezersharten.in Leserherzen.

Poem H1328
Amsterdam, 2015-09-19
How little use I am (Hilde Domin) - 1957
Poem "Wie wenig nütze ich bin"
Collection: Look at me 
Tribute to: Domin, Hilde 
 

Zywa
Keyword
Truth: reveal
GermanDutch5-7-5
PencilPumiceRainLoves
CompressedBirdsIflessPhoto
TributesDedicationsComposersHome
Attention is like sunshineMention © Zywa when using texts,
drawings, designs, paintings and photos
Search word:  CTRL-F