Mar 17, 2016
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50 easy pieces
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adrift
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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
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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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