| In the morning wind | |
| my thoughts are tinkling clearly -- | |
| like a carillon. | |
| In de ochtendwind | Frühmorgens im Wind |
| tinkelen mijn gedachten -- | klingeln meine Gedanken -- |
| als een carillon. | wie ein Glockenspiel. |
Amsterdam, 2014-02-25
Carillon (M. Vasalis) (1954)
Poem from the collection "Vergezichten en gezichten"
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Thinking (clear)
Keyword: Dawn
Tribute to: Vasalis, M.
| On my desk, she lies | |
| sound asleep in the Basket -- | |
| with sutras: my cat. | |
| Op mijn werktafel | Meine Katze schläft |
| ligt ze slapend in de Mand -- | herrlich auf meinem Schreibtisch -- |
| met soetras: mijn kat. | im Korb mit Sutras. |
Amsterdam, 2014-12-04
Sleeping on my desk (Jack Kerouac) (1968)
Suttanta-pitaka/Suttapitaka (Basket of Discourse)
Poem: Sleeping on my desk / head on the sutras, / my cat. (collection "Some western haikus", published in 2003)
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Wisdom / Stupidity
Tribute to: Kerouac, Jack
| Mind the tasty looks, | |
| wait a while before you bite -- | |
| a bread or a stone. | |
| Als iets lekker lijkt, | Was lecker erscheint, |
| wacht dan even voor je hapt -- | soll warten, bevor du beißt -- |
| in brood of in steen. | in Brot oder Stein. |
Amsterdam, 2020-06-11
Snow (Anne Sexton) (1975)
Collection "The Awful Rowing Toward God"
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Reason:
Tribute to: Sexton, Anne
| The mountains and all | |
| their sparkling streams are the void: | |
| clotted and melted. | |
| De bergen en al | Die Berge und all |
| hun stromen zijn de leegte: | die Flüsse sind die Leere: |
| gestold, gesmolten. | verklumpt, geschmolzen. |
Amsterdam, 2020-06-26
Rhapsody on Roaming the Heavenly Terrace Mountains (Sun Chuo) (350)
Poem "You Tiantai shan fu"
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Universe
Tribute to: Sun, Chuo
| Do pretend it is | |
| normal, yes, very normal -- | |
| it ís, all of it. | |
| Ja, doe maar alsof | Tu so, als wäre |
| het gewoon is, heel gewoon -- | es normal, ja, ganz normal -- |
| ís het, allemaal. | ist es alles, immer. |
Amsterdam, 2020-06-26
People (Pieter de Bruijn Kops) (2019)
Poem "De mensen" (collection "De minderweter")
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Universe
Tribute to: De Bruijn Kops, Pieter
| My eyes are blurry, | |
| being old I am released -- | |
| from judging others. | |
| Mijn oude ogen | Meine Augen, alt |
| zien wazig, ze verlossen -- | und verschwommen, erlösen -- |
| me van oordelen! | mich vom Urteilen! |
Amsterdam, 2020-10-11
My eyes suddenly start to fail (Yaochen Mei) (1060)
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Old age: process
Tribute to: Mei, Yaochen
| I have principles, | |
| I have plenty, you may choose -- | |
| the ones you like best. | |
| Ik heb principes, | Ich habe genug |
| ik heb er genoeg, kies maar -- | Prinzipien, wähle aus -- |
| welke je leuk vindt. | welche du gern habst. |
Amsterdam, 2020-12-15
Those are my principles (0)
"Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others" (An old joke, later attributed to Groucho Marx)
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Ethics: practice
Tribute to: Marx, Groucho
| I am not as wise | |
| as the best, but I'm better -- | |
| than stupid people. | |
| Ik ben niet zo wijs | Ich bin nicht weise |
| als de besten, maar beter -- | wie die Besten, nur besser -- |
| dan domme mensen. | als dumme Leute. |
Amsterdam, 2021-01-19
On the happy life (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (58)
Dialogue "De vita beata"
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Wisdom / Stupidity
Tribute to: Seneca, Lucius Annaeus
| Thoughts are free, even | |
| insusceptible to lies -- | |
| about obvious facts. | |
| Gedachten zijn vrij, | Gedanken sind frei, |
| zelfs onvatbaar voor leugens -- | nicht anfällig für Lügen -- |
| over de feiten. | über die Fakten. |
Amsterdam, 2021-04-29
Homecoming: a novel (Bernhard Schlink) (2006)
Novel "Die Heimkehr"
"Die Gedanken sind frei" ("Thoughts are free", 1780, with music in the "Lieder der Brienzer Mädchen" from 1800)
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Freedom:
Tribute to: Schlink, Bernhard
| God is a nuisance: | |
| He is constantly present -- | |
| but always sleeping. | |
| God geeft overlast: | Gott: ein Ärgernis, |
| Hij is altijd aanwezig -- | immer ist Er anwesend -- |
| en blijft maar slapen. | immer schläft er nur. |
Amsterdam, 2021-06-18
God among people (Toon Tellegen) (2021)
"God onder de mensen"
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Religion:
Tribute to: Tellegen, Toon
| The dog is running | |
| ahead of us, down the path -- | |
| barking his sea-bark. | |
| De hond puft niet meer, | Der Hund schnauft nicht mehr, |
| hij rent vooruit, het pad af -- | er rennt voraus, und er bellt -- |
| en blaft zijn zeeblaf. | sein Meeresbellen. |
Terborg, 2021-08-06
The Nice and the Good (Iris Murdoch) (1968)
Novel
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Joy
Tribute to: Murdoch, Iris
| Whatever happens, | |
| spouses do know the secret -- | |
| of fitting it in. | |
| Wat er ook gebeurt, | Was auch mal passiert, |
| echtgenoten kunnen het -- | Ehepartner können es -- |
| altijd inpassen. | immer einpassen. |
Terborg, 2021-08-06
The Nice and the Good (Iris Murdoch) (1968)
Novel
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Love: bond
Tribute to: Murdoch, Iris
| That man over there: | |
| daddy, whom we love a lot -- | |
| is a bit crazy. | |
| Die man daar: papa, | Dieser Mann: Papa, |
| van wie we heel veel houden -- | den wir sehr lieben, na, er -- |
| is een beetje gek. | ist etwas verrückt. |
Amsterdam, 2021-10-11
Maintenance of the senses (Franco Faggiani) (2018)
Novel "La manutenzione dei sensi"
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Parents: father(hood)
Tribute to: Faggiani, Franco
| On the mountain road, | |
| the moon hops along with me -- | |
| valley to valley. | |
| Op de bergweg hupt | Auf der Bergstraße |
| de volle maan met me mee -- | hüpft der Vollmond mir voraus -- |
| dal na dal na dal. | Tal nach Tal nach Tal. |
Amsterdam, 2021-10-12
Maintenance of the senses (Franco Faggiani) (2018)
Novel "La manutenzione dei sensi"
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Moon
Tribute to: Faggiani, Franco
| You know the feeling | |
| of not belonging, being -- | |
| different, a guest. | |
| Iedereen kent het | Du kennst das Gefühl |
| gevoel: er niet bijhoren -- | nicht dazuzugehören -- |
| anders zijn, een gast. | anders zu sein, Gast. |
Amsterdam, 2021-11-30
Twice a Woman (Harry Mulisch) (1975)
Novel "Twee vrouwen"
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Foreigners: guest
Tribute to: Mulisch, Harry
| Let us sing of life | |
| and of sorrow, let us toast -- | |
| to comfort ourselves. | |
| Laten we zingen | Lass uns vom Leben |
| over het leven, het leed -- | singen, vom Kummer, lass uns -- |
| en toosten als troost. | anstoßen zum Trost. |
Amsterdam, 2022-03-15
The drinking song of earth's sorrow (Hans Bethge) (1907)
Old Chinese poem
1908, Gustav Mahler, based on the free version by Hans Bethge from 1907, after "Bei gexing" by Li Bai [701-762], in a 1705 collection
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Together: social
Tribute to: Bethge, Hans
Tribute to: Li, Bai
Composer: Mahler, Gustav
| I am tired, I long | |
| for warmth and a rest, for sleep -- | |
| the comfort of love. | |
| Ik ben moe, verlang | Ich bin so müde, |
| naar warmte en rust, naar slaap -- | ich sehne mich nach Wärme -- |
| de troost van liefde. | dem Trost der Liebe. |
Amsterdam, 2022-03-15
The solitary one in autumn (Hans Bethge) (1907)
Old Chinese poem
1908, Gustav Mahler, based on the free version "Die Einsame im Herbst" by Hans Bethge from 1907, after "Xiao gu qiu ye zhang" by Qian Qi [710-782]
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Love: nourishes
Keyword: Comfort
Tribute to: Bethge, Hans
Tribute to: Qian, Qi
Composer: Mahler, Gustav
| Glimmering beauty, | |
| clear and upside down, doubled -- | |
| in the little pond. | |
| Er schittert schoonheid, | Spiegelnde Schönheit, |
| ondersteboven, dubbel -- | auf dem Kopf, verdoppelt, da -- |
| in de parkvijver. | im kleinen Parkteich. |
Amsterdam, 2022-03-15
Of youth (Hans Bethge) (1907)
Old Chinese poem about friends in a porcelain pavillon in a pond
1908, Gustav Mahler, based on the free version "Der Pavillon aus Porzellan" by Hans Bethge from 1907, after "Yan tao jia tingzi" by Li Bai [701-762]
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Beauty: surroundings
Tribute to: Bethge, Hans
Tribute to: Li, Bai
Composer: Mahler, Gustav
| Girls tease each other, | |
| just to attract attention -- | |
| from the toughest boys. | |
| De meisjes plagen | Die Mädchen necken |
| elkaar om op te vallen -- | sich, nur um aufzufallen -- |
| bij stoere jongens. | bei den harten Jungs. |
Amsterdam, 2022-03-15
Of beauty (Hans Bethge) (1907)
Old Chinese poem
1908, Gustav Mahler, based on the free version "Am Ufer" by Hans Bethge from 1907, after "Cai lian qu" by Li Bai [701-762]
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Puberty
Tribute to: Bethge, Hans
Tribute to: Li, Bai
Composer: Mahler, Gustav
| Let us just enjoy | |
| this late evening together -- | |
| After us the spring! | |
| Laten we samen | Lass uns den Abend |
| van de avond genieten -- | mal zusammen genießen -- |
| Na ons de lente! | Nach uns der Frühling! |
Amsterdam, 2022-03-15
The farewell (Hans Bethge) (1907)
A final farewell
Old Chinese poem
1908, Gustav Mahler, based on the free version "In Erwartung des Freundes" by Hans Bethge from 1907, after "Su Ye shi shan fang" by Meng Haoran [690-740] and "Songbie" by Wang Wei [699-759]
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Contentment
Tribute to: Bethge, Hans
Tribute to: Meng, Haoran & Wang, Wei
Composer: Mahler, Gustav
| Novels are derived | |
| from people, who mould themselves -- | |
| upon characters. | |
| Romans zijn ontleend | Romane: basiert |
| aan mensen, die zich vormen -- | auf Menschen, die sich bilden -- |
| naar personages. | nach Charakteren. |
Amsterdam, 2022-04-10
Life imitates art (Oscar Wilde) (1891)
Role models
"Life imitates art far more than art imitates life" (1891, Oscar Wilde in "The decay of lying"; also: "Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation", in his letter "De Profundis" to Bosie in 1897)
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Imitate
Tribute to: Wilde, Oscar
| I feel so lonely | |
| that I could be anywhere -- | |
| and nowhere, so free. | |
| Ik voel me eenzaam, | Ich fühl mich einsam, |
| zou overal en nergens -- | ich könnte überall sein -- |
| kunnen zijn, zo vrij. | und nirgends, so frei. |
Amsterdam, 2022-06-10
All the heaven you need (Franco Faggiani) (2022)
Novel "Tutto il cielo che serve"
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Alone: lonely
Tribute to: Faggiani, Franco
| A grand scenery, | |
| it makes my presence smaller -- | |
| and also my thoughts. | |
| Het grootse landschap | Die weite Landschaft |
| verkleint mijn aanwezigheid -- | schrumpft meine Anwesenheit -- |
| en mijn gedachten. | und auch mein Denken. |
Amsterdam, 2022-06-11
All the heaven you need (Franco Faggiani) (2022)
Novel "Tutto il cielo che serve"
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Earth: mother
Tribute to: Faggiani, Franco
| Mountains around me, | |
| silence, the space, and the wind -- | |
| that I can be here. | |
| Bergen om me heen, | Die Berge ringsum, |
| stilte, de ruimte, de wind -- | Stille, der Raum, und der Wind -- |
| die ik hier kan zijn. | den ich hier sein kann. |
Amsterdam, 2022-06-12
All the heaven you need (Franco Faggiani) (2022)
Novel "Tutto il cielo che serve" (end)
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Earth: mother
Tribute to: Faggiani, Franco
| High in the mountains | |
| there is plenty of heaven -- | |
| to make you happy. | |
| Hoog in de bergen | Hoch in den Bergen |
| is er heel de hemel om -- | gibt es den ganzen Himmel -- |
| gelukkig te zijn. | um glücklich zu sein. |
Amsterdam, 2022-06-12
All the heaven you need (Franco Faggiani) (2022)
Novel "Tutto il cielo che serve" (end)
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Happiness (relaxation)
Tribute to: Faggiani, Franco
| The universe holds | |
| me, I hold the universe -- | |
| with this very thought. | |
| Het heelal omvat | Das Weltall fasst mich, |
| mij, ik omvat het heelal -- | ich fasse das Weltall mit -- |
| met een gedachte. | einem Gedanke. |
Amsterdam, 2022-12-16
Thoughts (Blaise Pascal) (1662)
Par l'espace l'univers me comprend et m'engloutit comme un point; par la pensée je le comprends.
(Through space the universe comprehends me and swallows me up like a point; by thought I comprehend the universe.)
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Knowledge: thoughts
Tribute to: Pascal, Blaise
| The sense of how large | |
| the universe is, makes man -- | |
| both little and great. | |
| Het besef hoe groot | Die Ahnung, wie groß |
| het heelal is, maakt de mens -- | das Weltall ist, macht uns so- |
| zowel klein als groot. | wohl klein als auch groß. |
Amsterdam, 2022-12-16
Solution: geography (Luigi Pirandello) (1920)
Story "Rimedio: la geografia", referring to Pascal's thought (1657-1662): Par l'espace l'univers me comprend et m'engloutit comme un point; par la pensée je le comprends. (Through space the universe comprehends me and swallows me up like a point; by thought I comprehend the universe.)
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Universe
Tribute to: Pirandello, Luigi
| Can people be smart | |
| enough to truly judge -- | |
| whether they believe? | |
| Zijn mensen wel slim | Sind die Menschen schlau |
| genoeg om vast te stellen -- | genug, um zu verstehen -- |
| of ze geloven? | ob sie echt glauben? |
Amsterdam, 2023-01-27
Days like grass (Jens Christian Grøndahl) (2020)
Piety
Story "Dage som græs" (collection "Dage som græs")
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Religion: belief
Keyword: Self-knowledge
Tribute to: Grondahl, Jens Christian
| We can indeed laugh | |
| at ourselves, the two of us -- | |
| if nobody knows. | |
| We kunnen lachen | Wir können lachen |
| om onszelf, met zijn tweeën -- | über uns selbst, wir beide -- |
| als niemand het weet. | wenn es keiner weiß. |
Amsterdam, 2023-01-28
Letter (Karel V) (1550)
"Maria van Hongarije, regentes der Nederlanden: een politieke analyse op basis van haar regentschaps-ordonnanties en haar correspondentie met Karel V" ("Mary of Hungary, governour of the Netherlands: a political analysis based on her regencyordinances and her correspondence with Charles V", 1995, Laetitia Gorter-van Royen)
Emperor Charles V (Gent 1500-1558) writes to his sister Maria (Brussels 1505-1558): 'I'm sure you didn't write that without laughing, and I had to laugh too when I read it. [..] I am writing all this to you to laugh and to make a fool of ourselves, because I really need that.'
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Reason: discrimination
Tribute to: Karel V
| And another day | |
| I stayed ahead of my death -- | |
| Now I have to sleep. | |
| Ook vandaag ben ik | Auch heute bin ich |
| mijn dood weer voorgebleven -- | meinem Tod vorgeblieben -- |
| Nu moet ik slapen. | Jetzt muss ich schlafen. |
Amsterdam, 2023-02-02
Shaft (Hans Groenewegen) (2005)
Poem "Schacht" (collection "en gingen uit sterven")
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Awareness: volatile / fragments
Keyword: Sleep
Tribute to: Groenewegen, Hans
| One day you will learn | |
| everything you pursued was -- | |
| never possible. | |
| Later ontdek je | Später entdeckt man |
| alles wat je nastreefde -- | alles, was man verfolgt hat -- |
| was nooit mogelijk. | war niemals möglich. |
Amsterdam, 2023-07-27
For Sheridan (Robert Lowell) (1977)
Poem (collection "Day by Day")
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Body: and mind
Tribute to: Lowell, Robert
| Women receive less | |
| respect from many men than -- | |
| from wild animals. | |
| Een vrouw krijgt van veel | Respekt vor Frauen: |
| mannen minder respect dan -- | bei Männern oft geringer -- |
| van wilde dieren. | als bei Wildtieren. |
Amsterdam, 2023-09-17
The cloud inventory (Franco Faggiani) (2023)
Novel "L'inventario delle nuvole", § 2
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Equality: women
Tribute to: Faggiani, Franco
| Out of my nightmare, | |
| I wake up in the anxious -- | |
| dream that is the world. | |
| Uit mijn nachtmerrie | Aus meinem Albtraum |
| ontwaak ik in de angstdroom -- | erwache ich im Angsttraum -- |
| die de wereld is. | der meine Welt ist. |
Amsterdam, 2023-10-28
Lighthousekeeping (Jeanette Winterson) (2004)
Novel, chapter Tenant of the sun
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Awareness: reality
Tribute to: Winterson, Jeanette
| It's never about | |
| first this and then that, a truth -- | |
| is a coherence. | |
| Het gaat nooit om eerst | Es geht nie um erst |
| dit en toen dat, een waarheid -- | und dann, eine Wahrheit ist -- |
| is een samenhang. | ein Zusammenhang. |
Amsterdam, 2023-12-12
The event (Peter Terrin) (2022)
Novel "De gebeurtenis", chapter Juliette (2) #1
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Truth: coherence
Tribute to: Terrin, Peter
| The tension is gone: | |
| it's important, or it's not -- | |
| and now it comes out. | |
| De spanning is weg: | Die Spannung ist weg: |
| het is belangrijk, of niet -- | es ist wichtig, oder nicht -- |
| en nu komt dat uit. | und jetzt zeigt sich das. |
Amsterdam, 2023-12-18
Perfect silence (Thomas Verbogt) (2011)
Novel "Perfecte stilte", chapter A contrived thought
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Life: course (overview)
Tribute to: Verbogt, Thomas
| Sell your cleverness | |
| for the messy confusion -- | |
| of wisdom of life. | |
| Durf je schranderheid | Tausche bloß deine |
| te ruilen voor de warboel -- | Klugheit für die Verwirrung -- |
| van levenswijsheid. | der Lebensweisheit. |
Amsterdam, 2024-02-14
Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment (Mohamed Rumi) (1250)
Doubled verse, from: Masnavi (Doubled verses), book IV, story 2
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Wisdom / Stupidity
Tribute to: Rumi, Mohamed
| Then I realise: | |
| it was an attack, I didn't -- | |
| fall, I got a push. | |
| Ontsteld besef ik: | Dann wird es mir klar: |
| er is een aanslag gepleegd -- | es war ein Anschlag, kein Sturz -- |
| Ik viel door een duw. | nein, es war ein Stoß. |
Amsterdam, 2024-02-26
Easthouse's story (Belcampo) (1946)
Story "Het verhaal van Oosterhuis" (collection "Nieuwe verhalen")
Collection: Thinkles Lusionless
Keyword: Thinking (order)
Tribute to: Belcampo
