Motherhood
SELECTED POEMS ACCORDING TO THEMES THAT RUN ACROSS PUBLISHED WORKS
Eersgeborene
voor die eerste huistoery
draai ons dom vingers jou toe
in ‘n té-groot babygrow
klim ek op die agterste sitplek –
ma-dier aan jou
vasgeklou
lê jou neer in die koel krip van ons kamer
snags terwy pa
êrens soos ‘n engel waghou
suig jy gulsig aan my lyf
laat later los,
(streep melk oor jou wang,
niks meer dors)
slaap
paddatjie-omgedop
op my bors
en ek
(oopgeskeur toegewerk,
brandtepels, oopoog uitgeput)
dekodeer,
op en af oor jou pêrel-rugstring,
gebede van verwondering
First Born
Translated from Afrikaans by the poet
Before the first drive home
our clumsy fingers clothe you
in too-big a baby grow
I clamber onto the backseat --
mother-creature
clasping you
lay you down in the cool crib of our room
at night somewhere,
your angel father stands guard
while gutsy you suck onto me
later, no longer thirsty,
let go, squirt of milk
over your nose,
doze
upside-down froggy
on my abdomen
and I
(torn open sewn closed,
burning nipples, wide-eyed spent)
decode,
up and down your pearly spine,
incantations of amazement
Meerminne
pappa het vir jou swemgoed gekoop,
nou’s jy ‘n vissie met vlerke
in die soelte van vanaand
het ek jou voor die rekenaar weggelok
om saam met my te swem
met gróótste genot
(pienk strepiesrokkie,
‘n lolliepoppie) spring jy in
paddatjie in die laaste lig
palmblare spits ons ore,
die aarde draai stadiger,
water gloeiblou in die skemer
dryf ons soos meerminne –
oopmond, verwonderd, één
met die eerste sterretjie
(Feb. 2002 – Megan is 3 jaar oud)
Mermaids
Translated from Afrikaans by the poet
daddy bought you some swim things,
now you’re a fishy with wings
this balmy evening
I lured you from the screen
to swim with me
with grand delight
(pink stripy dress,
a lollypop) you leap
froggy in the last light
palm leaves prick up our ears,
the earth slows down,
water glows navy
like mermaids we float –
amazed mouths open, one
with the first tiny star
(Feb. 2002 – Megan is 3 years old)
Turning six
Tonight the sea births a grapefruit moon.
Vanilla lilies bloom. The ceiling
goes see-through in her room.
She rises in a wispy gown.
Floats to the pond,
dips in her foot
then, for the first time,
ever so slow
webs
grow
between her toes.
She draws her breath, glides in –
strange words pour
through the gap in her teeth
into liquid night.
The earth rumbles.
Koi bellies glow.
Geckoes on the wall
turn into rainbows.
Sleeping monkeys stir in trees.
Moles mumble in holes.
Stars tumble through indigo.
In the morning she wakes
back in her bed, slips on a uniform,
shakes silver sprinkles from her hair.
At breakfast her dad grins,
her mom winks like the morning star:
“You’re old enough now to know.
Remember, though, out there
you’re an ordinary girl…”
Ses Word
Translated from English by the poet
Vanaand baar die see ‘n pomelo-maan.
Vanilla-lelies blom. Die plafon
raak deursigtig in haar kamer.
Sy staan op in ‘n wasige japon.
Sweef na die visdam,
doop haar voet in
dan, vir die eerste keer,
baie stadig
groei
webbe
tussen haar tone.
Sy skep asem, glip in –
vreemde woorde vloei
deur die gaping in haar tande
die soel nag in.
Die aarde rommel.
Koi-pense gloei.
Geitjies teen die muur
verander in reënboë.
Slapende apies roer in bome.
Molle mompel in tonnels.
Sterre tuimel deur donkerblou.
In die oggend word sy wakker
in haar bed, glip ‘n uniform aan,
skud silwer sprinkels uit haar hare.
By die ontbyttafel grinnik haar pa,
haar ma knik soos die oggendster:
“Jy’s nou oud genoeg om te weet.
Maar onthou tog -- daar buite
is jy ‘n gewone dogter…”
Robberg
In Plettenberg Bay’s summer haze
you beam all-braces through wind-swept hair,
slide into a wetsuit, unaware of your early teen grace.
For the sake of mom-daughter time I squeeze into mine.
Rubber duck skims the waves,
we cling to our seats. Frisky male tourists
grunt when they spot the Mountain of Seals.
Anchor drops like a blue diamond into the deep.
“Watch her please, she’s anxious!”
I tell the guide with the shark shield.
Sunrays skim your gleaming shape
as you capsize over the edge, escape…
I panic and plunge
follow you down
down…to white sand
shoot up for air gulp water -
waves wash me to sharp rocks
where seal pups squeal
and waddle to the edge –
They dive…dart around: deep under I find
curious creatures suspended in space,
whiskered snouts pressed to your face.
Who’s mine, who’s pup?! Misted up and up-tight
I resign - join the more relaxed, fin-footed grown-ups –
further out we float on our backs,
scouting the surf for great whites.
And that was how, my little seal,
I learnt from moms in furry skins
before you left for boarding school
how letting go begins.
Robberg
Translated from English by the poet
In Plettenbergbaai se somerwaas
straal jy
deur windverwaaide hare
en draadjies aan jou tande –
glip in jou duikpak in,
onbewus van jou vroeë tiener-grasie.
Ter wille van ma-dogter tyd, wriemel ek in myne in.
Rubberboot raak skaars die water,
ons klou aan die kante. Fris toeriste blaf soos manne
as hulle Robberg sien. Die anker sink
soos ‘n blou diamant die dieptes in.
“Hou ‘n oog op haar – sy’s angstig!”
sê ek vir die gids met die haai-skild.
Jy glip agteroor –
onstnap
die boot --
strale streel jou glimmende vorm.
Ek
plons
paniekbevange --
volg jou af
af…na wit sand
skiet boontoe vir asem sluk water –
branders was my rotse toe
waar tjankende babas
kant toe waggel –
Hul duik…
flits diep onder rond:
nuuskierige wesens in ruimtelig,
snorbaard-snoete teen jou gesig.
Wie’s myne, wie’s nie?! Toegestoom en opgewen
gooi ek die handdoek in – sluit aan
by die meer ontspanne, vin-voet volwassenes –
verder uit dryf ons op rûe,
staan wag teen die ou groot wittes.
En dít was hoe, my rob-baba,
voor jy koshuis toe is,
ek geleer het om te laat gaan
by meer harige mammas.