Best Afrikaans Poems
die briesie van herlewing kom saam met u besoek
daar is 'n hindernis van byna 500 jaar wat ons suiwerheid geskei het
in velkleur, godsdiens en verhoudings
ons is van wortels gekastreer en gevoer met
godsdienstige ywer, gierigheid,
en wrede verkragting van ons voorgeslag
vrees nie die seë wat God stilgemaak het nie
die wind het gedreun van gehuil
of die son kom nooit op vir rus nie
the breeze of revival comes with your visit
there's a barrier of almost 500 years that separated our purity
in skin tone, religion and relations
we've been castrated from roots and fed with
religious zealotry, greed,
and brutal rape of our ancestry
fear not the seas God stilled
the wind muffled from howling
or the sun never rising for rest
For a friend from CT
Garden of Eden is far from this
with shared affinity among its borders
with confusing the a fore mentioned
Gone through the sun but fun
with life of thorn and burn
now the result the negative bio-rhythm
Geographically located in bliss
with males of bonny and muscular frame
female so fair on the opposite of buxom line
Of-course she is engaged in exchange
often called bimbo by her bilateral partners
ever sacrificing, never satisfied
Always a hero in her mind`s eye
known a bluff by passers-by
but certainly not a blue bottle
Die reptiel vrou
Het my alweer geflous
Met my gedeel, haarself ontbloot,
en toe
Die bitter gif gespoeg
Dit vloei uit my bors uit, deur my are
Verander my bloed - haar bloed
Word swart, taai, en koud
Soos haar hart
***
The reptile woman
Has fooled me again
Shared with me, exposed herself
and then
Spat out the bitter venom
It flows out of my chest, through my veins
Changes my blood - her blood
Becomes black, sticky, and cold
Like her heart
[Afrikaans Poem with English Translation]
Hoe lyk dit of jou liefde seëvier? Laat ek my woorde wys.
Hulle sê liefde is soos 'n dwelm waaraan jy verslaaf raak,
En dit plaas jou in 'n euforiese rollercoaster.
Maar my storie kom met 'n gat in my hart asof dit onrustig is
Soos die gedagte om die Ou Man se woorde te hoor,
"Los haar Johnny" weergalm in my gedagtes soos om te wag vir 'n betaaldag
Met die Bybel wat op my bors lê asof my hart ondersoek is.
Ek het nog nooit vir myself die liefde gevind wat so sterk is nie
Soos die son op my gesig skyn en die winde nie waai nie,
Want ek is al lank in die strate van Oniipa.
Jou liefde seëvier met die laatnag-ontsnappings
Soos dit my hart met lag en verlig my probleme
Maar ek moet aan die einde van die dag die Here dank en bid,
Voorwaar, jou liefde seëvier na die dood.
English Translation
What does it look like your love triumphs? Let me show you my words.
They say love is like a drug you get addicted to,
And it puts you on a euphoric rollercoaster.
But my story comes with a hole in my heart as if it's restless
Like the thought of hearing the Old Man's words,
"Leave her Johnny" echoes in my mind like waiting for payday
With the Bible lying on my chest as if my heart has been examined.
I've never found for myself the love that's so strong
Like the sun shines on my face and the winds don't blow,
For I've been in the streets of Oniipa for a long time.
Your love triumphs with the late night escapes
Like it fills my heart with laughter and eases my troubles
But I must thank the Lord and pray at the end of the day,
Truly, your love triumphs after death.
*Dear PoetrySoup Members, to those who do not understand Afrikaans, the English translation is provided below the Afrikaans poem. I had to use modern free verse techniques to mirror a personal journey from confusion to spiritual certainty. Enjoy reading.
[Afrikaans Poem with English Translation]
_______________________
My lippies is asvaal van koud
Weskaap hou van ysdruppels in die wind
als gaan goed met Tafelberg
in Houtbaai ly die mense honger
en wag vir sout
Tog gaan my heup op en af in die oggend
soos ek ‘n kleurvolle kundalini verlang
of sewe oop chakras as ek bewe
wanneer die pyn rond my liggaam hang
Agter die wolke is Son daarem daar
verby yster voorhek stap kindertjies nog skool
die mint groei wragtig wild
terwyl Madiba vir ons stukkend lag !
__________________
[English Translation ]
Lips ash grey of cold
Western Cape enjoys icicles in its wind
Table Mountain is calm
in Hout Bay people are starving
waiting for salt
Nevertheless my hips rise and fall at dawn
longing for a colourful kundalini
or seven open chakras as I shiver
whilst pain hangs around body
Behind clouds the Sun still shines
pass iron frontgate children still walk to school
the mint grows profusely
while Madiba roars with laughter !
_______________________
[Poet’s Note : Madiba is the fond South African name for ex President Nelson Mandela. Psychics often see him roaring with laughter in the fifth dimension]
[Afrikaans Poem with English Translation]
Ek onthou jou toe die spiese naby my was,
En die swaarde het uit my bloed gedrink.
Maar ek wou die swaarde soen,
Soos hulle gegrom het soos jou helder glimlag.
Ek is dronk van die rooiwyn van jou liefde,
So van so 'n dronkaard.
Moenie die hart vra oor die geheim van my hart nie,
Want liefde binne ons... kan nie met die tong uitgespreek word nie.
English Translation
I remember you when the spears were near me,
and the swords drank from my blood.
But I wanted to kiss the swords,
as they wave like your bright smile.
I am drunk on the red wine of your love,
so from such a drunkard.
Don't ask the heart about the secret of my love,
because love within us... cannot be expressed with the tongue.
* Dear PoetrySoup members. I wrote an Afrikaans poem and I understand that many of you do not understand the Afrikaans language and I wrote the English Translation of this poem. Enjoy reading my poem.