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50 easy pieces

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adrift

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adrift

khop 50 easy pieces

afdh

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isbn 978 90 72603 66 1

© khop, Foudgum & afdh Publishers, Enschede/

Doetinchem

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprodu-

ced, stored or made public in any form, electronically,

mechanically, by photocopying, recording of any other

way, without written permission from afdh Publishers.

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contents

9 Introduction Paul O’Brien

10 Adrift 12 After You’ve Gone 14 Algebra 16 Apple

Tree 18 Autumn Leaves 20 Beasts 22 Beauty 24 Bleak

Christmas 26 Cellar Door 28 Cutting Edge 30 Easy

Rider 32 Endless Summer 34 Family Visit 36 For Finn

38 Hindsight 40 Home 42 I Like Horses 44 In Africa

46 In The Garden 48 Joie De Vivre 50 Just Things

52 Lady Jane 54 Life In A River 56 Lush Life 58 Medici

60 Midlife Song 62 Mist 64 Moon 66 Mozart 68 My

Father 70 No Name Man 72 Rain 74 Scarlatti 76 Shared

Space 78 Sleepy Time 80 Star Eyes 82 Stone Cottage

84 Sweet Revenge 86 Tender Is The Night 88 The Old

Man 90 The Other Story 92 The Poet 94 The Road

96 This Narrow Path 98 Tired Wisdom 100 Überprose

102 Unfinished 104 What Way Now 106 White Blues

108 You

110 Colofon

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9

adrift

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9

adrift

introduction

There are those for whom sounds have color and taste,

for whom colors have texture, and textures fragrance

— synesthetes they are called. It is said they make good

wine tasters. And why, in turn, should the pen not be

a brush, a tuned string? Writer, bore me not with words

that are mere cardboard stand-ins! Paint me a picture,

play me a tune! With this, I give you for your pleasure

the synesthetic pen of khop.

Paul O’Brien, Kentucky, usa

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11

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11

A shining and spotless white was the dominant color.

Nowhere any dust of unsolved problems, nowhere

leaking tears. Life without history. You kept the house

meticulously clean, as if it were a boat. An isle of eternal

sunlight it was. Until that day. As a broken rudder you

sat there.

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after you’ve gone

12

The room is empty now. What remains: cinders still

glowing red, the gleam of burnished wood, darkening

corners. The few words we spoke are now lost

somewhere in my memory, lost in this great silence.

When you left, hours ago, the old floor creaked, once.

Dawn comes in, on tiptoe.

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after you’ve gone

12

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15

algebra

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15

algebra He used to pace to and fro in front of the blackboard,

while unveiling the beauty of algebra. He wore a suit,

was affable, and didn’t smoke, unusual qualities in

those days. One day he stood staring out the window

for quite some time.

We waited, with awe and misgivings.

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16

apple treeThe apple tree blossomed white. Behind her squeaked

the kitchen door. Too late now. Her hands began to

tremble. She didn’t turn, she kept her eyes fixed on

the blossoming apple tree outside. To be a small bird

in spring, she thought, darting around, whistling, not

caring. Too late now.

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16

apple tree

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19

autumn leaves

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19

autumn leaves Autumn today. Doors are closed, lamps are lit. A string

quartet on the radio. Sipping fine Scotch. Let’s talk

about the winter days to come. Experts say winter will

be tough this year. How I’m looking forward to all those

snug winter clothes! Forecast for tomorrow: sunny

spells. Damn. Damn.

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20

beastsLet me tell you something, he said. When you come out

of the cold you want flames in the fireplace. One flame

feeds another, one want spawns another. You don’t see

the beasts lurking behind the flames. You will find out.

After the beasts have devoured you, he said.

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