Tag Archives: Inspiration

Tank Man

Tank ManTank Man(c) Terril Jones/Associated Press

All this has led me to reassess what the photo tells us. I saw that the still-unidentified man clearly premeditated his stand well before the tanks were upon him; he didn’t dart out for the confrontation moments before. He seems calm and prepared — could he have been mentally unstable as some have suggested? He appears to be abandoned by those running for cover, yet he also seems to be clearing a path for them to do so.

I’ve also realized how strongly that image continues to resonate with people, underscoring the importance of a free — and well-staffed — press corps around the world. The visceral responses that the photo has evoked make me wish I had come forward with it publicly much sooner.

I’m gonna be just like you.

Choose life.
Choose a job.
Choose a career.
Choose a family,
Choose a fucking big television
Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin openers.
Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance.
Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments.
Choose a starter home.
Choose your friends.
Choose leisure wear and matching luggage.
Choose a three piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics.
Choose DIY and wondering who you are on a Sunday morning.
Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing sprit-crushing game shows stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth.
Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing you last in a miserable home nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself.
Choose your future. Choose life.

I could offer a million answers, all false.
The truth is, I’m a bad person, but that is gonna change.
I am going to change.
This is the last of that sort of thing. I’m cleaning up and moving on, going straight and choosing life.
I’m looking forward to it already.
I’m going to be just like you, the job, the family, the fucking big television, the washing machine, the car, the compact disc and electrical tin opener, good health, low cholesterol, dental insurance, mortgage, starter home, leisurewear, luggage, 3 piece suite, d.i.y., game shows, junk food, children, walks in the park, nine to five, good at golf, washing the car, choice of sweaters, family Christmas, indexed pension, tax exemption, clearing gutters, getting by, looking ahead to the day you die.

Please, choose whatever you want, just be you.

Trots

Een man, daar in mijn kamer,
ik zie hem, maar toch niet.
Hij zit daar maar te staren,
zonder dat iemand hem ziet.
 

Een man daar in mijn kamer,
ik ken hem, maar toch niet.
Ik vraag het aan mijn moeder,
maar mijn moeder ziet hem niet.
 

Bij mijn opa staat een foto,
in een lijstje op de kast.
Als ik hem vraag:“Wie zijn dat?”
dan antwoordt hij verrast; 
 

“Die daar, dat is mijn vader.
Hij was jong en onbevreesd.
Hij is ooit een soldaat
in ons leger geweest. “
 

Een man, daar in mijn kamer,
Ik zie hem, maar toch niet.
Zachtjes snikkend huilt hij tranen,
Maar van trots, niet van verdriet…

 

Esmee Hendriks – 4 mei 2011 – Voorgedragen tijdens de Nationale dodenherdenking op de Dam

Bradley’s Circus USA Tour 2011

Als je toevallig deze maand nog in het zuiden van de VS bent, mis het niet, een optreden van mijn goede vriend Joris in Bradley’s Circus.

  • 15th of April     Live after 5, Baton Rouge, LA 
  • 16th of April     Club Interference, Mandeville , LA 
  • 21st of April     The Artmosphere, Lafayette, LA 
  • 22nd of April     Happy’s on 3rd, Baton Rouge, LA
  • 23rd of April     Voodoo Lounge, New Orleans, LA    
  • 25th of April     Louisiana Legislation Gathering, Baton Rouge, LA
  • 26th of April     Skippers Smoke House, Tampa, FL
  • 28th of April     Indigo-Alley, Fernandina, FL
  • 29th of April     Dr. Music, Fairhope, AL   (Grayson Capps + Bradley’s Circus)   
  • 30th of April     The Shed, Ocean Springs, MS
  • 1st of May        Callahan’s, Mobile, AL
  • 3rd of May        Ingrid Lucia’s Backyard Bash, New Orleans, LA
  • 5th of May        Sunset Grill, Coconut Creek, FL         
  • 6th of May        Nectar Lounge, Coconut Creek, FL

En Joris, live your dream little bird!