Poem

Antjie Krog

Side by side

SONGS OF THE BLUE CRANE

I

the berries are on my shoulder
the berries are on my shoulder
the berries, they’re on my shoulder
the berries are on my shoulder
the berries are here, above (on my shoulder)
Rrrú is here above
the berries are here above
rrrú is here above
is here above
the berries rrú are safe (on my shoulder)

II

(while he is running away from someone)
a splinter of stone that’s white
a splinter of stone that’s white
a splinter of stone that’s white

III

(while he is walking slowly, calmly and at a steady pace)
a white stone splinters
a white stone splinters

IV

(when he flaps his wings)
scrape (the springbok for) a bed
scrape (the springbok for) a bed
     Rrrrú rrra
     Rrrú rrra
     Rrú rra

According to //Kabbo, the blue crane describes his own white-feathered head, which has the form of a splintered stone. The Bushmen made stone tools for the hunt and for use as cutting implements.

LIEDERE VAN DIE BLOUKRAANVOËL

I

die bessies is op my skouer
die bessies is op my skouer
die bessies, dis op my skouer
die bessies is op my skouer
die bessies is hier, bó (op my skouer)
Rrrú is hier bo
die bessies is hier bó
rrrú is hier bó
is hier bó
die bessies rrú is gebêre (op my skouer)

II

(terwyl hy vir ’n mens weghardloop)
’n splinter van klip wat wit is
’n splinter van klip wat wit is
’n splinter van klip wat wit is

III

(terwyl hy stadig loop, rustig en in vrede loop)
’n wit klip splinter
’n wit klip splinter

IV

(as hy sy vlerke klap)
skraap (die springbokvel vir) ’n bed
skraap (die springbokvel vir) ’n bed
     Rrrrú rrra
     Rrrú rrra
     Rrú rra

Antjie Krog

(South Africa, 1952)

Antjie Krog’s work focuses on her struggle with attributes she acquired at birth: she is white and a woman. Though we are all expected to accept our own identity, one of Krog’s most important works of non-fiction is a book called Begging to be Black, and her famous menopausal sonnets lament the physical change destroying her “last juiciness”. This is characteristic of her poetry: her struggle a...

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Poems of Antjie Krog

SONGS OF THE BLUE CRANE

According to //Kabbo, the blue crane describes his own white-feathered head, which has the form of a splintered stone. The Bushmen made stone tools for the hunt and for use as cutting implements.

SONGS OF THE BLUE CRANE

According to //Kabbo, the blue crane describes his own white-feathered head, which has the form of a splintered stone. The Bushmen made stone tools for the hunt and for use as cutting implements.