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Best Poems Written by Rodney De Klerk

Below are the all-time best Rodney De Klerk poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

Details | Rodney De Klerk Poem

God Bless You

God Bless You

Before me lay the Dust of us all
Treated by us all as an orphaned babe
The sun scalded my tan
You, you gathered under layers of clothes
-	the difference and similarity of us both

Yet the Tugela rages, the Vaal turns; they run as bold as ever
And, as the land spoke sweetly
And, as the Berg stood firmly
And, as the Indian met the Atlantic in dance 
– in harmony, in a song choired breathe – 
Arms twisted taut

We scarred the pulse that moves us on
The father threw the gold at his feet
jumping on it, unfettered and drunk
The Earth’s reclaim now and her child’s shame

Now as the rains fall we hold tight
To gather the orphan
To gather the Dust
To gather as one
	Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika

Details | Rodney De Klerk Poem

Some Treasures

To the red dust of the Highveld plains and KwaZulu koppies;
          Where young feet roamed and in its earth-breathe did romp
            Beneath golden haze, as in an oil canvas, the sunset lay
                                       Painting goodbye to,
                              The scent of those African flames

         The flames in the old shanty towns, farms and braai-kos lapas 
             Young and old shared stories, with some mischief untold
                                      In those rivers, I swam
                                And those mountains I climbed
                       And the oceans where I caught my first catch
                                    A toast now–to my brus! 

    Though my complexion speaks olive and my tongue something strange,
                         The red of the dust still flows in my veins
                      My Ouma, my Oupa, my Granny, and Gramps 
                                  To that same dust went back,
                                      The one I left behind.
                                                Farewell.

                           …and, through the air, I went by waka,
                                    To descend in that Cloud!
                                  To a land of milk and honey,
                                        With favour to plea,
                                               A ‘shout’...

                                    …that I may dwell now,
                                       my breath in Yours,
                                          and as we hongi, 
                                a taonga between you and me

				                                   nga mihi
                                                                 te tama

Details | Rodney De Klerk Poem

Two Ninjas

There were two ninjas in the dark
Who lay under sheets
Covered in their linen armour
Safe in servants' courters

There were ninja stars beside beds
Numchucks at hand’s breadth
To wield stealth attack
A forcefield of strength

There were guard dogs as allies
Silent and calm collected
Patrolled with gnarled teeth
Agents of the clan

There were two ninjas in the dark
Who lay under sheets
Quiet and self-restrained
Until window panes did shriek 

There were two ninjas on their feet
An assailant was at hand
With much commotion and snarling 
Were they at flight to catch that man!

These two ninjas in the dark 
Were but brothers trying to sleep
Burglars came to wreak havoc
And that is about the norm…