Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Gert Vlok Nel

RIVER

River, o river you’re the deepest word that I know
I could navigate by you to the sea & to her in the
hope that I would win her heart,
but desert is the word by which
I must journey to win her heart

Last night I slept in Pretoria
in the wrong city with the wrong woman
which now means that
I must journey to you in the Cape with my
hat in my hand through
the most frightening country o my Darling:
can you hear me there where you’re sleeping?

Last night I slept in Bloemfontein
was happy I had got so far in one day was
happy there were still
flowers for hikers to pick (wanted to call you) was
happy love will not pass
me by was happy it’s only another 1000 km here from
the Cape

Last night I slept in Colesberg
across from the garage where the prostitutes turned
what the uncles brought around
& hiking back to the Cape in the long
night I saw some
crying I saw others singing maybe about that
mixed feeling that turning around brings

Last night I slept in Beaufort West
in the Wagon Wheel Motel wanted to call you
say that I am dreamless
seamless world-weary & had had enough &
want to come and sleep in your arms forever
like a boat on the bed of the sea

Last night I slept in Beaufort West
Last night I slept in Beaufort West
Last night I slept in Beaufort West

RIVIER

Rivier O Rivier jij bent het diepste woord dat ik ken
op jou kon ik koerszetten naar de zee & naar haar in de hoop
om haar hart te winnen, maar woestijn is het woord
waardoor ik moet reizen om haar hart te winnen

Vannacht heb ik in Pretoria geslapen
in de verkeerde stad bij de verkeerde vrouw
waardoor
ik nu naar jou moet reizen in Kaapstad met mijn hoed
in de hand door het meest angstaanjagende land
o Lieveling, kun je me horen daar waar jij slaapt?

Vannacht heb ik in Bloemfontein geslapen
was blij dat ik in een dag zo ver kon komen was blij
dat er nog bloemen waren die lifters meenamen (wou je bellen)
was blij dat de liefde niet aan mij voorbijging was blij
dat het nog 1000 km was van Kaapstad vandaan

Vannacht heb ik in Colesberg geslapen
tegenover de garage waar de prostituees die met de vrachtwagens meekomen
omkeren
& terugliften naar Kaapstad sommige heb ik tijdens de lange
nacht nog zien
huilen enkele heb ik horen zingen misschien over de
gemengde gevoelens die
omdraaien met zich meebrengt

Vannacht heb ik in Beaufort-West geslapen
in het Wagon Wheel Motel wou ik je nog bellen
wou je vertellen hoe droomloos
afgeknapt levensmoe ik ben & dat ik er genoeg van heb &
dat ik voor eeuwig bij jou wil komen slapen & het is nog maar
500 km naar Kaapstad

Rivier

Rivier, o rivier jy’s die diepste woord wat ek ken
op jou kon ek vaar na die see & na haar in die hoop
om haar hart te wen, maar woestyn is die woord
waardeur ek moet reis om haar hart te wen

Laasnag het ek in Pretoria geslaap
in die verkeerde stad by die verkeerde vrou
wat gemaak het dat
ek moet reis na jou toe in die Kaap met my hoed
in my hand deur die mees vreesaanjaende land
o my Liefling, kan jy my hoor daar waar jy slaap

Laasnag het ek in Bloemfontein geslaap
was bly ek kon in een dag so ver kom was bly
daar is nog blomme wat hikers optel (wou jou bel)
was bly die liefde gaan my nie verby was bly
dis nog net 1000 km vanaf die Kaap

Laasnag het ek in Colesberg geslaap
oorkant daai garage waar die prostitute wat die lorries bring
omdraai
& terug hike na die Kaap ek het deur die lang
nag sommiges gesien
huil ek het enkeles gehoor sing miskien oor die
mixed feelings wat
om om te draai bring

Laasnag het ek in Beaufort-Wes geslaap
in die Wagon Wheel Motel wou jou bel
wou jou vertel ek is droomloos
vuisloos lewensmoeg & het genoeg gehad &
wil vir ewig by jou kom slaap & is nog net
500 km vanaf die Kaap
Close

RIVER

River, o river you’re the deepest word that I know
I could navigate by you to the sea & to her in the
hope that I would win her heart,
but desert is the word by which
I must journey to win her heart

Last night I slept in Pretoria
in the wrong city with the wrong woman
which now means that
I must journey to you in the Cape with my
hat in my hand through
the most frightening country o my Darling:
can you hear me there where you’re sleeping?

Last night I slept in Bloemfontein
was happy I had got so far in one day was
happy there were still
flowers for hikers to pick (wanted to call you) was
happy love will not pass
me by was happy it’s only another 1000 km here from
the Cape

Last night I slept in Colesberg
across from the garage where the prostitutes turned
what the uncles brought around
& hiking back to the Cape in the long
night I saw some
crying I saw others singing maybe about that
mixed feeling that turning around brings

Last night I slept in Beaufort West
in the Wagon Wheel Motel wanted to call you
say that I am dreamless
seamless world-weary & had had enough &
want to come and sleep in your arms forever
like a boat on the bed of the sea

Last night I slept in Beaufort West
Last night I slept in Beaufort West
Last night I slept in Beaufort West

RIVER

River, o river you’re the deepest word that I know
I could navigate by you to the sea & to her in the
hope that I would win her heart,
but desert is the word by which
I must journey to win her heart

Last night I slept in Pretoria
in the wrong city with the wrong woman
which now means that
I must journey to you in the Cape with my
hat in my hand through
the most frightening country o my Darling:
can you hear me there where you’re sleeping?

Last night I slept in Bloemfontein
was happy I had got so far in one day was
happy there were still
flowers for hikers to pick (wanted to call you) was
happy love will not pass
me by was happy it’s only another 1000 km here from
the Cape

Last night I slept in Colesberg
across from the garage where the prostitutes turned
what the uncles brought around
& hiking back to the Cape in the long
night I saw some
crying I saw others singing maybe about that
mixed feeling that turning around brings

Last night I slept in Beaufort West
in the Wagon Wheel Motel wanted to call you
say that I am dreamless
seamless world-weary & had had enough &
want to come and sleep in your arms forever
like a boat on the bed of the sea

Last night I slept in Beaufort West
Last night I slept in Beaufort West
Last night I slept in Beaufort West
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
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