Care-Free Bohemian

I love all things spontaneous, mother a glorious
Leo - no planning - Dad a sanguine Sagittarius
who never suspected that planning existed -
my Bohemian parents bankrupted through
their Mad-Hatter schemes, finding Christ’s
life a perfect example not to provide in their
kids’ material needs

One brother an abandoned Aries, the other a
dreamy Aquarius living on the rainbow, though
he claims it does not exist; my Cancer twin and
youngest sibling unable to organise - although
longing for a stable life - I nearly expired, but
was helped by Tannie Yvonne and Prof Piet
DuPlessis to survive when I fell ill

Then Martin appeared, a Scorpion stinging to death
all who seemed to have hurt me; an eternal Phoenix
planning my life from a to z, though I complained when
regarding my previous Bohemian life - I could not live
Christ’s principle of no planning for tomorrow; my
parents lost home and income, making me realize
the importance of planning

Though I lament loss of freedom, I know that without
you and your rules, I cannot live - being a Bohemian
is wonderful - it’s great to feel care-free, but I am not
strong enough to live the Christian life-style; though
being an outsider in Puritan middle-class, I am
very much obliged that you arrived to anchor
my free-floating, gyrating mind

Providing order and rules -- though I long for
other Bohemians, I cannot live
without discipline and
healthy food…

Rosigfyn Van Kleur

Jy behoort aan my, o skone land
die lentebloeisels sluimer nog
waar die heiderosies blom, sag
suisend in hul droom

O jou kleure, mooie blommeprag, word
groetend blom vir blompie toegelag
as die maan opkom oor die velde
my heideland gegroet wees jy

‘n Duisendmaletal, jy is my liefling
dan voel ek so lief vir die wêreld en
die sterretjies skyn in die lug, en ek
weet jy my liefling is terug, my hartlam

Laat my langs die heide wandel, waar langs
boompies en groen weiland nuwe lentebloeisels
blom, elk knikkend met sy koppie, my liefling
slaap langs die silwerstroom

Sy’s ‘n perskeblom, rosigfyn van kleur, maak
jou buiging, vat haar hand, lei nou
heen en weer...

FAK Potpourri Deel II
(Dis seker wat Ophelia sou gesing het in haar
verwarring toe sy verdrink het, in Shakespeare
se 'Hamlet', en Hamlet so liefdevol verklaar
het: "Ophelia, I shall not cry for thee,
thy had too much water...")

Fyn Soos ‘n Vlinder

Liewe maan jy seil so langsaam deur die
awendwolke heen, jy’s so rustig en ek
voel my, o so eensaam en alleen

Pêrels en lint, kamma-kamma; sy en satyn,
wie sê dan so, kamma- kamma, wie sê dan
so, bootjie na Kammaland

As jy kamma-kamma voel ons is vir mekaar
bedoel en jy sê dan kamma-kamma ja… Hoe
sag gly ons bootjie en wieg heen en weer

Verbeelding is stuurman, hy sit aan die roer
en wys ons die weg wat na Kammaland voer,
dis Oos van die son en dis Wes van die maan

Die land waar die jonkheid mos nimmer vergaan
fyn soos ‘n vlinder, sag soos satyn, niks sal
ons hinder, onder die bome loop ons en droom

Lieflike drome langes die stroom, o, liefdesuurtjie
waar is jy nou, o liefdesvuurtjie, sterf jy so gou-
gaan my gedagtes liefling, na jou, ja na jou

En neem my liefde mee – wag sy, al die liefde
in haar hart stuur sy jou waar jy ook rondswerf
as sy saggies na jou roep - kom terug na my…

Al kan ek jou nie roep nie, dan sal ek vir jou wink
en antwoord gou my liefste, voordat ek my bedink
spoedig kom ‘n nader een, vir wie ek dan sal wink

Al die burgers kom tuis en sy soek langs die ry, vir
‘n lang-lang verwagte gesig, hulle kom, hulle gaan
nou is almal verby, uit haar wese verdwyn al die lig

Waar ek gaan gaan jou beeltnis, my liefste, alom,
maar my hart laat ek ewiglik hier, as ek kom, as ek
kom – hy sal nimmer weer kom, nimmer weer kom

Net verlange en hartseer kom weer - kersie brand
sag en flou in die stroopblikdeksel nou, oor die
donkerblou hemel rys daar skriklike wolke…

FAK Potpourri Deel I

(Die liedjies is deurmekaar geroer, ek weet.)

A Million Fathoms Deep*

So many religious songs living in my
head - declared my favourite to be
‘Jesus wants me for a sunbeam’

The Pharisees were shocked, I shoud sing
‘From a million fathoms deep*, far from
help, where hope is lost in despair

I cry unto thee, Oh Lord’ or ‘Kumbaya’ and
‘I’ll Walk with God’ by Mario Lanza – but
I still sing ‘Sunbeam’

When I dash about in a fast car, feeling like
a sunbeam of bright, happy light!

[See translation of songs quoted at end of
Afrikaans poem.]

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Uit Dieptes Gans Verlôre*

Ai, die gesangverse wat in my kop woon
‘n nimmereindigende stroom, sommiges
sal nooit religieus korrek werk nie, ‘Daar
waar in vlekkelose wit die Koning van die
wêreld sit’ is nou eenmaal deur Surfadver-
tensies oor skitterwit wasgoed gekaap

Eenkeer het die uwe ewe ernstig aan gods-
diensfanatici verklaar my gunstelingliedjie is
‘Jesus roep my vir ‘n sonstraal’ - A nee a,
het die beterweterige Fariseërs my betig, jy
is nou mooi groot en halfpad dood, kies
nou ‘n grootmenslied – Ek was vies

Moes seker ‘Uit dieptes gans verlôre, van
redding vêr vandaan, waar hoop se laaste
spore, in wanhoop bly vergaan’ gesing het
of dalk ‘Straf tog nie in ongenade, my mis-
dade, Heer, verdra my met geduld!’ eintlik
‘n nog beter keuse sou seker wees

‘Rus my siel, jou God is koning- ieder woelt hier
om verand’ring, en betreur dit as dit kom...’ of
dalk, synde almal die Ingilse taal orals insleep
om grênd te wees, moes ek ‘Kumbaya, my lord,
kumbaya’ voorgedra het – of selfs ‘Unto thee, oh
Lord - let not mine enemies triumph over me’

Synde ek my midde-in ‘n Sanhedriese addersnes
bevind het; as ek mooi dink, moes ek ‘I’ll walk with
God from this day on’ gesing het, die vyand se
teenwoordigheid het duidelik bewys net die
ou duiwel figureer in my lewe, die heel beste
keuse sou seker gewees het

‘Wondergena, algenoegsaam selfs ook vir my, dieper
dan die see van my oortredings, sing dit, groter ver
dan al my sond’ en blaam – PRYS sy naam!’ - ‘Wil
tog nie in toorn ontsteek nie en U wreek nie op my
sond’ en sondeskuld...’

Na diepe bepeinsing en jarelange mymering oor
hierdie netelige kwessie sing ek nog steeds klip-
hard terwyl ek zirts in my vinnige blits: ‘Jesus
roep my vir ‘n sonstraal, om elke dag te skyn’ –
omdat my bloublitsstraaljaagtogte my net soos
‘n sonstraal laat voel!

**********************************************
[* From a million fathoms deep*, far from help,
where hope is lost in despair, I cry unto thee,
oh Lord; from deep, dark nights, please
harken unto my cry for pity]

* Uit Dieptes Gans Verlôre, van redding vêr vandaan,
waar hoop se laaste spore, in wanhoop bly vergaan,
uit diep van donker nagte, roep ek, o Here, hoor,
en laat my jammerklagte tog opklim in u oor

**********************************************
Hallelujaliedjie: [Children’s Song]

[Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam - to shine every day,
to please him is all my yearning, though my light is weak,
let me be a sunbeam for aye!]

Jesus roep my vir ‘n sonstraal om elke dag te skyn,
hom te behaag is my strewe, al is my liggie klein,
‘n sonstraal, Jesus roep my vir ‘n sonstraal,
laat my ‘n sonstraal steeds wees!

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Ou NG Kerk Gesangeboek: [Old Church Hymn Book]

[‘He is high and praiseworthy, see city and hill
shimmering in sunshine, and Zion to the North
glowing beyond the reach of words, the Lord of all
immaculate in white’

- This song has been appropriated and corrupted by
washing power advertisements.- ]

Hy is lofwaardig en verhewe, waar berg en stad
in songlans bewe, en Sion teen die Noorde, blink
bo die lof van woorde, daar waar in vlekkelose wit
die Koning van die wêreld sit, het hy wat teen die
vyand waak, as rotsburg hom bekend gemaak.

**********************************************
[Don’t punish my misdeeds in cold judment, oh Lord,
be patient with me, don’t visit vengeance upon me
and my guilt in your fury]

Straf tog nie in ongenade, my misdade, Heer, verdra
my met geduld! Wil tog nie in toorn ontsteek nie,
en U wreek nie, op my sond’ en sondeskuld.

**********************************************
Kerkkoor: [Church choir]

[Be at peace, oh my soul, thy God is King,
all are clamouring for change, but regret it
when it comes, yearning to see new things,
but long for what is lost…]

“Rus my siel, jou God is koning, rus my siel,
ieder woelt hier om verand’ring en betreur
dit as dit kom; hy verlang na wat hy sien sal
wens wat hy eens had weerom...”

**********************************************
Kumbaya:

Kumbaya, my lord, kumbaya, oh Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s singing my Lord –
Someone’s praying my Lord – etc.

**********************************************
Unto thee, oh Lord, do I lift up my soul, oh my God,
I trust in thee, let me not be afraid, let not mine
enemies triumph over me.

**********************************************

I’ll walk with God - Words: Paul Francis Webster

I’ll walk with God from this day on, his helping hand
I’ll lean upon, This is my prayer, my humble plea,
may the Lord be ever with me. There is no death...
His hand will guide my throne and rod...

**********************************************

Evangelieliedere: [Gospel songs]

[Wonderful mercy of Jesus, covering all my sin,
how can I describe this, where shall my song begin,
wonderful mercy of Jesus, I am freed of sin, ‘cause
the wonderful mercy of Jesus reaches me.

Wonderful mercy is the work of Jesus, deeper than
the sea and free, wonderful mercy, all-sufficient,
also for me, deeper than the fathoms of my sinful
deeds, all sing, high above all my sin and guilt,
rejoiceth in the lovely name of Jesus,
PRAISETH Him!]

Wondergena’ van Jesus, wat al my sond’ omring,
hoe sal ek dit beskrywe, waar sal my lof begin,
wondergena’ van Jesus, ek word van sonde vry,
want die wondergena’ van Jesus, reik ook my.

Wonderlik genadewerk, die werk van Jesus, dieper
dan die see en vry, wondergena, algenoegsaam, selfs
ook vir my, dieper dan die see van my oortredings,
sing dit, groter ver dan al my sond’ en blaam,
o roem verhoog die dierb’re naam van Jesus ,
PRYS sy naam!

*****************************************

Reminiscence: Vonk de Ridder*

Laughing joy into the daily routine
reminiscing about Vonk de Ridder
dramatic Knight clad in Black, a
series of photo books

I liked Captain Devil*, crying on the
last page about his lost heroine, he
lacked the subtlety of a true hero
the love of his life always died

Every last scene showed him drunk and
contrite – we all read these melodramatic
stories, a fund of humour for freshman
comedies presented slow-motion

Sometimes based on The Pink Panther
and Staal Burger* with Willem and Dada
and all those lovely girls in mini-skirts
called “Doedie-van-my”

In Daan Retief’s inimitable voice…

******************************************************
*Vonk de Ridder: Ben Swart, photo books, fictional
hero wearing black called Vonk de Ridder

*Captain Devil: Fotoreeks bekend as Kaptein Duiwel

*Staal Burger –1961 - 1974, written by Fanus Rautenbach and Daan Retief.
Staal Burger - Daan Retief Koos van der Merwe - Mike Heine (Agent K-O-O-S)

Dada Diedericks - Miems de Bruin

Langenhoven’s Lullaby For Liefstetjie

Originally called Afrikaanse Wiegeliedjie,
the author changed every noun into its
diminutive, little darling, little thief of
mother’s heart, little tree, little stream

He even turned verbs into diminutives:
‘advancing’ becomes ‘nadertjies’ and
‘coming’ becomes ‘kommetjies’ – it is
the most enchanting lullaby

Charmingly called ‘Wiegeliedjie’ in
Afrikaans, Stef Bos the well-known
Dutch singer had tears in his eyes
as he sang it once, the song stole

His European heart, as it stole mine
when my mother sang it to us every
night…