SELECTED POEMS ACCORDING TO THEMES THAT RUN ACROSS PUBLISHED WORKS
Angry Arab, In God We Trust,
Bombay Viking, Vanishing Queen...
Me Against the World, The Power of Love,
Downloading Virus, Brown Brothers, All Eyes on Me!
The Seducer, God's Gift No. 1, 2, 3...
Sweet Mama Sweet, As Good as it Gets,
Leave Me Alone, Walala Wahlala (you snooze, you loose...)
So So Def, We put the Beat on the Street...
Passion for Perfection, So You can't Handle the Pressure?
Heroes they Fall...but their Name Remains.
Ghetto Boyz, Nice & Slow,
Smokin Gun, Girlfriend, Eye Ball,
Thriller, Snow White, Piranha, Just Cruising,
Baby Bianca, Back in da Game,
Supreme Chilled, Midnight Express.
Why Not? What Ever!
Woza Friday, Changing Spike,
Get in Where You Fit in,
Nemesis, Aftermath,
Holy Night, Death Row,
All Rise.
drie locals dryf
op klein deinings op en neer
‘n surfer stuur sy oë uit op ‘n meeu
dis twintig voor vyf op ‘n dinsdag,
nog ‘n mellow wintersmiddag
storte drup lui, die see
‘n waterverfprint uit die cna
God was hier
as jy my moet vra
Suidstrand, Durban 1987
Translated from Afrikaans by the poet
three locals buoy
up and down on small waves
on a gull, a surfer sends out his gaze
it’s twenty to five on a tuesday,
another mellow winters noon
showers drool, the sea
a kitch colour print from the cna
God’s been here
if I had to say
(South Beach, Durban 1987)
met ‘n klam lyf
wurm ek in
tussen ander wat jazz kom soek
koelgroen amstels stapel
oraloor die tafels
swaar is die lug
van sout en saksofoon
lywe wieg
weeg swaar op skewe stoele
van die Moon Hotel
wat steun
onder die geel pens
van die maan
(Durban, 1992)
Translated from Afrikaans by the poet
damp-bodied
I worm in
between others looking for jazz
coolgreen amstels stack
all over tables
the air heady
with salt and saxophone
bodies sway
weigh heavily on tilting chairs
of the Moon Hotel
that grunts
under the yellow belly
of the moon
(Durban, 1992)
piesang transport
pakistani take away strictly halaal
surgery jj moodley dokotela
gearbox & diff exchange
mazinov house
space television
joosab's supermarket
chacha's pawn shop
nabibya's fast food
suspension&alignment
jockey the next best thing 2B naked
it's time to ruffle your feathers
we deliver
royal vulcanizing
minty's mad tyres and mags
krash panel beaters
fatima's famous foods
zak's surprise butchery
bath&vanity surrounds
replacement body parts
fashion station
rust proofing
hansas body craft
port natal paint
bang bang payphones
azb halaal bunnies
mutton veg hot pies
living waters mission
swiss stone masons
sipsy's hardware
d maharaj dental surgeon
free customer parking
local services only
phoenix motorglass
bamatshe amathuna
rega religious-cultural society
buy-a-brick: ticket R2
win-a-TV
in aid of funds to build a hall
dear customer we apologise for any
inconvenience caused during
road construction, business as usual
crankshaft grinding block reboring
head overhauls canrod resizing
skim while you wait
gearboxes and difs
hot meals served
karam's food we are moving
bhoola optician
mo's centre
benji dog chunks taste and freshness
guaranteed factory prices
auto smash workshop
crazy special meaty bones
biltong hot chicken chaka laka
braai wors R2.99
prime cut meats special offer
boats rubber ducks jetskis & accessories
if not supply store
chappies take away
indawo ka dokotela
silveray tea room
fuck all you
brittania spares 4 africa
safety footwear gumboots & rainwear
daily soap
carlton strong... & gentle
Down by the crossing he waits for the light –
it turns green. He looks left, then right,
revs to go...but oh, a river of women
(in which he fears he could drown)
wells up towards his yellow bike.
They are not afraid!
Bodies sway in patterned cloth,
bananas bunched on heads,
babies on backs, beaded necks,
cell phone gossip and song.
Johnnyboy says a prayer
before he is flattened
by such sisterhood
but in the nick of time (as if
struck by a kierie*) the river parts,
a delta flows around him:
his fear dissolves
in smells of soap,
ginger root, and love
on balmy nights.
Further down where bunny chows are sold,
old apartheid stories told, the stream
snakes round, away...
Johnnyboy blinks,
revs his bike. The light
turns red again.
*Kierie: walking stick (Afrikaans)
*Bunny chow: a Durban delicacy – half or quarter loaf of white bread, hollowed out and filled with curry. Then the soft insides of the bread are piled on top, and the bunny is wrapped in newspaper. No eating utensils are needed, and the bread serves as edible plate. Rumour has it that bunnies were first served over the back doors of Durban restaurants where non-white patrons were not allowed during Apartheid.
http://www.marketsofwarwick.co.za
For John