Zywa: Poems

Autobiographical notes "Les rêveries du promeneur solitaire" ("Reveries of the Solitary Walker", 1776, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, published posthumously in 1778), chapter "Cinquième promenade" ("Fifth walk")

Collection "Inmost [1]"

#happiness #relaxation #existence

Aug 2023 · 494

[ The Promised Land does ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ The Promised Land does ]

The Promised Land does

exist, it is on the map --

of my beating heart.

Novel "The PowerBook" (2000, Jeanette Winterson), chapter "SHOW BALLOONS"

Collection "No wonder"

#illusions #wish #promisedland #dream #heartsdesire

Aug 2023 · 673

[ Darling, I don't want ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ Darling, I don't want ]

Darling, I don't want

to conquer you, but to be --

absorbed in your fire.

Novel "The PowerBook" (2000, Jeanette Winterson), chapter "HELP"

Collection "Loves Tricks Gains Pains in the 0s and 10s"

#love #surrender

Aug 2023 · 471

[ Forever new books ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ Forever new books ]

Forever new books

by new writers, for a dream --

they are immortal.

"The Queen of the Tambourine" (1991, Jane Gardam), § March 10th (1990)

Collection "A profession"

#economy #books #writers

Aug 2023 · 851

[ You left us behind ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ You left us behind ]

You left us behind,

there is distance now, increased --

by a few letters.

"The Queen of the Tambourine" (1991, Jane Gardam), § December 25th (1989)

Collection "Passage Passion"

#distance #letters

Aug 2023 · 600

[ The rich, exhausted ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ The rich, exhausted ]

The rich, exhausted

from all the deprivations --

of their agenda.

"The Queen of the Tambourine" (1991, Jane Gardam), § late January and March 10th (1990)

Collection "Rasping ants"

#wealth #abundance #rich #agenda

Aug 2023 · 331

[ They smell sweet and warm ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ They smell sweet and warm ]

They smell sweet and warm

like fresh bread in the oven:

the newborn babies.

"The Queen of the Tambourine" (1991, Jane Gardam), § March 10th (1990)

Collection "Skin-contact"

#baby #babysmell

Aug 2023 · 148

[ I just kept going ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ I just kept going ]

I just kept going,

until I fell, exhausted --

lovely exhausted!

"The Queen of the Tambourine" (1991, Jane Gardam), § March 10th (1990)

Collection "Rasping ants"

#bodyandmind #exertion

Aug 2023 · 438

[ Mama keeps chasing ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ Mama keeps chasing ]

Mama keeps chasing

me, I give me the advice --

she would have given.

Poem "Moeder" ("Mother", 2022, Ester Naomi Perquin) --- Collection "On the fly"

#mother #parenthood #education

Aug 2023 · 396

[ Every time I think ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ Every time I think ]

Every time I think

what my mother would have said --

Yet, do I know her?

Poem "Moeder" ("Mother", 2022, Ester Naomi Perquin)

Collection "On the fly"

#mother #parenthood #education

Aug 2023 · 954

[ A stranger falls, and ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ A stranger falls, and ]

A stranger falls, and

as he falls he is breaking --

in into my life.

Poem "Weet nog wel" ("I remember", 2022, Ester Naomi Perquin)

Collection "Truder"

#chance #strangers #foreigners #meet #encounter

Aug 2023 · 203

[ Talking isn't easy ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ Talking isn't easy ]

Talking isn't easy,

so each of us is often --

in our own bell-jar.

Children's book "Haaientanden" ("Shark's teeth", 2019, Anna Woltz), chapter "75.4 kilometers"

Collection "Shelter"

#contact #reserve #closerelationships

Aug 2023 · 117

[ A poem: tail tip ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ A poem: tail tip ]

A poem: tail tip

of a cat that's already --

around the corner.

Poem "Verzamelde definities van poëzie" ("Collected definitions of poetry", 2022, Ester Naomi Perquin)

Collection "Glimpsed"

#poetry

Aug 2023 · 149

[ Where is the truth? It's ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ Where is the truth? It's ]

Where is the truth? It's

so agile, never somewhere --

somewhere in between.

Poem "Opluchting" ("Relief", 2022, Ester Naomi Perquin)

ollection "Glimpsed"

#truth

Aug 2023 · 602

[ Educational ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ Educational ]

Educational

books are given to children --

who are our teachers.

"The Queen of the Tambourine" (1991, Jane Gardam), § March 10th (1990)

Collection "On the fly"

#children #teachers #education

Aug 2023 · 430

[ The famous writer ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ The famous writer ]

The famous writer

is awfully shy, no one --

attends to his clothes.

"The Queen of the Tambourine" (1991, Jane Gardam), § March 10th (1990)

Collection "Shelter"

#shyness #loner #fame

Aug 2023 · 292

[ Could it be a sign ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ Could it be a sign ]

Could it be a sign?

Oh no, signs only appear --

when you don't need them.

"The Queen of the Tambourine" (1991, Jane Gardam), § Morning of mornings

Collection "Chance"

#reason #signs

Aug 2023 · 1.3k

[ Her curly hair sings ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ Her curly hair sings ]

Her curly hair sings!

And it enchants me, it is --

electrostatic.

"The Queen of the Tambourine" (1991, Jane Gardam), § Concerning June 2nd (1990)

Collection "No wonder"

#music #hair

Aug 2023 · 719

[ It's a quiet day ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ It's a quiet day ]

It's a quiet day.

I'm standing at the window --

contemplating rain.

"The Queen of the Tambourine" (1991, Jane Gardam), § April 12th (1990)

Collection "VacantVoid"

#silence #rain

Aug 2023 · 235

[ How should I console ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ How should I console ]

How should I console

with the little cuckoo clock --

ticking in my head?

"The Queen of the Tambourine" (1991, Jane Gardam), § May 1st (1990)

Collection "Actively Passive"

#passivity #powerlessness

Aug 2023 · 481

[ Angels come flying ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ Angels come flying ]

Angels come flying

in, hear, here must be heaven --

where the ***** sounds.

"A Song for St. Cecilia's Day" (1687, John Dryden), Stanza 7

Collection "No wonder"

#music #***** #heaven

Aug 2023 · 242

[ Am I vindictive ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ Am I vindictive ]

Am I vindictive?

With flaming sword, an angel --

telling you the truth?

"The Queen of the Tambourine" (1991, Jane Gardam), § January 22nd? (1990)

Collection "WriteWiser signage"

#authorship #truth

Aug 2023 · 335

[ A door may open ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ A door may open ]

A door may open,

in any blind wall, it will --

be a door of love.

Novel "The PowerBook" (2000, Jeanette Winterson), chapter "CHOOSER"

Collection "Within the walls"

#chance #dooroflove

Aug 2023 · 256

[ My story and me ]

Zywa Aug 2023

[ My story and me ]

My story and me,

are an interwoven whole --

Inextricably.

Novel "The PowerBook" (2000, Jeanette Winterson), chapter "QUIT"

Collection "WriteWiser signage"

#life #lifestory #personalhistory

Jul 2023 · 1.3k

[ I rake the ashes ]

Zywa Jul 2023

[ I rake the ashes ]

I rake the ashes

of the olive stones and I --

smell my homesickness.

Novel "The PowerBook" (2000, Jeanette Winterson), chapter "spitalfields"

Collection "Inwardings"

#homesickness #memories #associations #smells

Jul 2023 · 567

[ Just ask anyone ]

Zywa Jul 2023

[ Just ask anyone ]

Just ask anyone

for a story and you'll get --

their complete life course.

Novel "The PowerBook" (2000, Jeanette Winterson), chapter "spitalfields"

Collection "Specialities"

#life #story #meet

Jul 2023 · 1.2k

[ You're asleep, I know ]

Zywa Jul 2023

[ You're asleep, I know ]

You're asleep, I know,

nothing does matter, nothing --

is more important.

Novel "The PowerBook" (2000, Jeanette Winterson), chapter "VIEW"

Collection "Loves Tricks Gains Pains in the 20s and 30s"

#safety #calm #security #harmony

Jul 2023 · 229

[ I prepare myself ]

Zywa Jul 2023

[ I prepare myself ]

I prepare myself:

I keep fighting with myself --

to stay on my toes.

Novel "The PowerBook" (2000, Jeanette Winterson), chapter "NEW DOCUMENT"

Collection "Actively Passive"

#care #thinkingahead #beingprepared

Jul 2023 · 492

[ It is just like then ]

Zywa Jul 2023

[ It is just like then ]

It is just like then,

as if I have tumbled down --

in between two times.

Novel "The Gap of Time" (2015, Jeanette Winterson), chapter "Watery Star"

Collection "Inmost [1]"

#lifetime #identity #experiences

Jul 2023 · 335

[ I know I'm alive ]

Zywa Jul 2023

[ I know I'm alive ]

I know I'm alive,

in the present, but the past --

overshadows me.

Novel "The Gap of Time" (2015, Jeanette Winterson), chapter "Watery Star"

Collection "Being my own museum"

#identity #experiences #life

Jul 2023 · 1.2k

[ Walls can both protect ]

Zywa Jul 2023

[ Walls can both protect ]

Walls can both protect

and confine you, lock you in --

until they collapse.

Jericho

Novel "Oranges are not the only fruit" (1985, Jeanette Winterson), chapter "Joshua"

Collection "No wonder"

#safety #protection #wall #jericho

Jul 2023 · 214

[ Not all dark places ]

Zywa Jul 2023

[ Not all dark places ]

Not all dark places

with demons and old shadows --

are longing for light.

Novel "Oranges are not the only fruit" (1985, Jeanette Winterson), chapter "Ruth"

For Maria Godschalk

Collection "No wonder"

#psyche

Jul 2023 · 615

[ Everything is Weight ]

Zywa Jul 2023

[ Everything is Weight ]

Everything is Weight

and Counterweight: it's Fate and --

the Wheel of Fortune.

"Oranges are not the only fruit" (1985, Jeanette Winterson) - Leviticus

Collection "No wonder"

#balance #fate #life #fortune

Jul 2023 · 610

[ If I could gull, I ]

Zywa Jul 2023

[ If I could gull, I ]

If I could gull, I

would comfortably eat fish --

near the herring stall.

Column "Meeuw" ("Gull", Georgina Verbaan, in NRC, June 17th, 2017)

Collection "No wonder"

#fantasy #gull #seagull #empathy