english
nòg familie nòg vriende
alles praat heen deur die dooies
na my toe
jou bros bondel bene
my liefste liewerlee
lê lankuit bewaar
ek is oraloor wakker vannag
maar van my het so min gekom
jy’s al wat ek in die wêreld had
liefste dooieling
alleen en koud is dit tussen
my ribbes Afrika het my alles laat prysgee
dis so donker
dis so kil
sagte koggelaar
van my het so min gekom
ek is af
tot my laaste vel
From: Lady Anne
Cape Town: Human and Rousseau , 1989
Audio production: 2008 Literaturwerkstatt Berlin
niether family nor friends
tonight everything speaks through the dead
towards me
your brittle bundle of bones
my longestloved beloved
lies lonely and longingly cradled somewhere lost
and lean
I am overwhelmingly awake tonight
of me so little has become
you are all I had in this world
beloved deathling
alone and cold it is behind my ribs
Africa had me giving up all
it is so dark
it is so bleak
soft beloved taunter
of me so little has become
I am down
to my last skin