Wednesday, 29 October 2025

Elisabeth Eybers: 'Herinnering'


 

 Herinnering

 

As kind het ’k eens die maan se ronde skyf

langsaam sien uitswel bo die silwer vlei

om saggies soos ’n seepbel weg te dryf

en tussen yl popliere in te gly. 

 

Agter my in die donker was ’n raam

vol lig en mensestemme en gelag

en ín my angs en weekheid sonder naam

terwyl ek op die maan se loskom wag. 

 

Die res is alles duister en verward…

Van tak tot tak het hy gewieg… ek weet

nog net dat die gekneusde gras se geur

soos naeltjies was en dat ek skielik seer-

gekry het van die inkrimp van my hart

en met my pols die trane weggevee’t.

 

 

Memory

 

The moon’s round disc I as a child once saw

slowly dilate above the silver vlei

then gently drift off bubble-like before

it slid midst thread-thin poplars by and by.

 

Behind me in the dark a window pane

was full of light and voices loud and gay,

in me was fear and faintness without name

while watching for the moon to break away.

 

The rest’s obscure, confused now for my part...

It swayed from branch to branch... I just persist

in sensing still the scent of new-bruised grass

was needle-sharp and too my sudden gasp

of pain at the contraction of my heart

and how I wiped the tears off with my wrist.

 

 

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