Storyteller’s Voice Gone

Finally, after a long, long time, we saw our friends
again, met new people, Bets resembling Shirley
while Dirk is a bit like Witte, Jannie a stern father
Dylan a mischievous boy, Nathan an adorable baby

When I explained about the importance of stories
and beads on invisible strings, Bets said I was too
busy, too restless for her, but she remembered the
story of the magic pencil we read at school

She also knows Staal Burger, then Lieb played music
by Amanda Strydom, reminding me that Ay Marieke,
Marieke was my favourite song, we argued about the
merits of Hennie Aucamp versus Koos DuPlessis

I insisted that Winternag by Eugene N Marias was the
most beautiful poem ever written - Lieb preferred Lost
Wanderers* by Koos DuPlessis to Mabalel or The Rain
Dance* in Dwaalstories* by Marais, as we pulled away

I recited Oh River Deep And Dark* – song of Juanita
Perreira in Magoeba’ Lions* - finishing with The Lonely
Girl’s Song* - the storyteller’s voice gone, the wind
crying because it is all alone…


*Lost Wanderers = Kinders van die Wind
*The Rain Dance = Die Dans van die Reen – Lied van Jan Konterdans
*Dwaalstories = Stories told by Jan Konterdans
*Oh River Deep And Dark = O Diep Rivier
*Magoeba’ Lions = Die Leeus van Magoeba – Eugene Marais
*The Lonely Girl’s Song = Wat word van die meisie wat
altyd alleen bly? Sy hoor nie meer die koms van die jagters
nie, die stem van die storieverteller is dood, en die wind
huil altyd om hy alleen is….