Die Laingsburg-vloed by Diana Ferrus

Die Laingsburg-vloed

1981

Auntie X se storie

Diana Ferrus

Alreeds ’n ouma, haar seun se ma

hy had ’n vrou, kinders, iets om voor te strewe

in hierdie dorp het hulle gelewe

deur die wet geklassifiseer as ‘bruin’,

dis toe dat die frons op die voorkop verskyn

in haar blou oë was net pyn

“eers het sy in die modder verdwyn,

deur hierdie vloed ondermyn.

toe raak my seun net weg

en ja die doemprofete was reg

my seun se stem was stom,

in die Kaap het hy aan ’n mes omgekom”

Toe word sy weer ’n ma

die jongste was ’n baba, die oudste tien

tot diep in die nag moes sy na hulle omsien,

vir haar was daar geen ander uitweg,

wat sy gedoen het was net reg.

Sy het geen ondersteuning gekry

selfs al het sy meëdoenloos gestry

want in hierdie dorp het sy geleer

wat dit beteken as ander jou as ‘bruin’ klassifiseer.

Dis op haar kierie wat sy nou leuen

met haar blou oë wat wil-wil ween

“as ons net kon geweet het van daardie soorte reën”.


From: McGregor Poetry Festival 2014 Anthology

First published in 2015 by African Sun Press
in association with The McGregor Poetry Festival Committee
ISBN 978-0-620-64600-0

The Poet:

Diana Ferrus is a writer, poet, performance poet, story-teller, editor and publisher, best known for her epic poem about the Khoisan woman, Sarah Baartman, whose remains were on display in Paris until 1986. She is a founder member of the Afrikaanse Skrywersvereniging, Bush Poets and Women in Xchains. Her works, in both Afrikaans and English, have been published in various anthologies and a collection, Ons Komvandaan.

Previously published:

Diana Ferrus: I’ve come to take you home; Obsession; and The journey from her collection I’ve come to take you home.

Werfhonde 3 by Suenel Bruwer-Holloway

Werfhonde 3

Suenel Bruwer-Holloway

Dana daily more attenuated,

a Giacommetti wrought by age:

delicate feet lift off

relentless ethereal pulley

mooring lines loosen

terra less firma

ever more elegant even as –

bladder fails

walk curtails

eyes fade

ears jade

yet still, still and final

in urgent quest for a quandary goal:

only love, the highest role.

Old Ladydog reaches for heaven.

From: McGregor Poetry Festival 2014 Anthology

First published in 2015 by African Sun Press
in association with The McGregor Poetry Festival Committee
ISBN 978-0-620-64600-0

The Poet:

Suenel Bruwer-Holloway lives in McGregor. Her plays have been performed at the Grahamstown Festival, in Britain and America. Her satire Cry Sis! Identity was published by Junkets in the Short, Sharp and Snappy Series. She raises children, cooks vast meals, walks dogs, teaches, does laundry, writes and gardens every day.

Previously published:

Suenel Bruwer-Holloway: Neighbours from The Ground’s Ear published by Quickfox, Cape Town, 2011. Hardcover ISBN 978-1-920-52619-1. Softcover ISBN 978-0-620-51665-5.

afrika-dig by Lara Kirsten

afrika-dig

Lara Kirsten

ek wil ’n gedig skryf wat soos afrika ruik

wat soos die heuwels van afrika

onder my voete pols

’n gedig wat soos afrika jou laat voel

dat jy tuis gekom het

’n gedig wat afrika-vas is op my tong

wat gloei soos die afrika-son op my rug

my tong is warm afrika-klip waarop die son vurig pyl

en die sonbesies teen die boombas van my keel sing

sing sing sing

die afrika lug en doringbome en krieke

en woestyn-stilte

sing sing sing

afrika uit die woude van my afrika-tong

my gedig wil soos aalwyne die lug steek

met bloedklanke die ondergaan van my sonswoord

tot stilte en vrede roep

my woorde wil jou roep soos die skaars watergate

in die dorre landskap en die klanke wil dorstig

opgelek word deur die tonge van skugter koedoes

met hierdie gedig wil ek nie sin maak met woord

ek wil my tong soos ’n rotsblok laat tuimel

met die steil kranse af

en met die val wil

ek leer om weer aarde-taal te praat

afrika-aarde taal

From: McGregor Poetry Festival 2014 Anthology


First published in 2015 by African Sun Press
in association with The McGregor Poetry Festival Committee
ISBN 978-0-620-64600-0

The Poet:

Lara Kirsten is a pianist and performance poet. She holds a BMus (Honours) from the University of Pretoria. As a solo pianist and accompanist for singers and instrumentalists,

she performs all over South Africa. As a poet, she has performed in the Netherlands and at many venues in South Africa. She belongs to the Eastern Cape poetry group, Ecca, and has recorded a CD of her own poetry.

Sources of previously published poems: 

afrika-dig from Spaces, Ecca Poets, Hogsback 2009, ISBN 978-0-620-44997-7.

Antjie Krog at the McGregor Poetry Festival 2015

Antjie Krog het met die 2015 Gedigtefees ‘n gehoor van 300 kinders in die palm van haar hand gehad met die energieke aanbieding van haar program Feetjies en Monsters.

At the 2015 Poetry Festival, Antjie had an audience of over 300 children in the palm of her hand with her energetic presentation of her programme “Fairies and Monsters”