Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Gert Vlok Nel

EPITAPH

Last night I dreamed that I was living in 1975 again, the year
when I was last happy. Then I walked down the steps & tapped
water for myself in the kitchen it was so quiet in the house.
The best years are gone. Anyway, & then I dreamed that I
would one day live as far away from 1998 as possible.

Last year I dreamed that I was living in my own most
beautiful words again in my most beautiful village & that I
was starting to get healthy again. Then I woke suddenly &
something wasn’t right I was so lost I wasn’t in my own home.
The most beautiful words are gone. Anyway, & then I
dreamed that I had gone to live in a language as far away
from Afrikaans as possible.

I my boyhood I had a girl she was beautiful beyond
Afrikaans she could make my heart dance in pain all night
& she was somehow Gert’s last stance. And then she dreamed
that she had gone to live in a body as far away from my body as possible.
The loveliest love is gone. Anyway, then I dreamed that I had
gone to live by her body as far away from my body as possible.

Somewhere I dreamed that I attended my own funeral
& Pa was there & Ma was there & all my loves like in my
happiest year. But the best was this the best was this this was
that I bent down to the ground & kissed myself on my own
mouth.
The most beautiful dreams are gone. Anyway, then I dreamed
that I had gone to live in a dream as far away as possible
from here & now

Last night I dreamed that I was living in 1975 again, the year
when I was last happy. Then I descended from the step &
tapped water for myself in the kitchen it was so quiet in the
house. The best years are gone. Anyway, & then I dreamed that
I went to live in a country as far away from South Africa as
possible. & then I dreamed that I went to live in a country as
far away from South Africa as possible.

GRAFSCHRIFT

Vannacht droomde ik dat ik weer in 1975 woonde, het jaar
toen ik het laatst gelukkig was. Toen liep ik de trap af &
ging water halen in de keuken het was zo stil in huis.
De mooiste jaren zijn voorbij. Hoe dan ook, & toen droomde ik dat
ik in een jaar zover mogelijk van 1998 ging wonen.

Vorig jaar droomde ik dat ik weer in mijn eigen mooiste
woorden woonde in mijn mooiste dorp & dat ik weer gezond
begon te worden. Toen schrok ik wakker & er was iets niet pluis
ik was zo de weg kwijt dat ik niet in mijn eigen huis was.
De mooiste woorden zijn voorbij. Hoe dan ook, & toen droomde ik
dat ik in een taal ging wonen zover mogelijk van het Afrikaans
vandaan.

In mijn jeugd heb ik een meisje gehad ze was mooi
het Afrikaans voorbij ze kon de hele nacht zo innig verdrietig dansen & ze
was ergens Gerts laatste pose. En toen droomde ze
dat ze in een lijf ging wonen zover mogelijk van het mijne vandaan.
De mooiste liefde is voorbij. Hoe dan ook, & toen droomde ik
dat ik met mijn lijf zover mogelijk van haar lijf ging
wonen.

Ergens heb ik gedroomd dat ik mijn eigen begrafenis bijwoonde
& Pa was er & Ma was er & al mijn geliefden
net als in mijn gelukkigste jaar. Maar het mooiste was het mooiste was
dat ik me bukte naar de grond & ik mezelf zoende
op mijn eigen mond.
De mooiste dromen zijn voorbij. Hoe dan ook, & toen droomde ik
dat ik in een droom ging wonen zo ver mogelijk van hier & nu
vandaan.

Vannacht droomde ik dat ik weer in 1975 woonde, het jaar
dat ik voor het laatst gelukkig was. Toen liep ik de trap af &
ging water halen in de keuken het was zo stil in huis.
De mooiste jaren zijn voorbij. Hoe dan ook, & toen droomde ik dat
ik in een land ging wonen zover mogelijk van Zuid-Afrika
vandaan. & toen droomde ik dat ik in een land ging wonen zover
mogelijk van Zuid-Afrika vandaan.

EPITAPH

Laasnag het ek gedroom dat ek weer in 1975 woon, die jaar
toe ek laas gelukkig was. Toe het ek afgekom by die trap &
vir my water getap in die kombuis dit was so stil in die huis.
Die mooiste jare is verby. Anyway & toe het ek gedroom dat
ek in ’n jaar so ver as moontlik van 1998 af gaan woon.

Laasjaar het ek gedroom dat ek weer in my eie mooiste
woorde woon in my mooiste dorp & dat ek weer gesond
begin te word. Toe het ek wakkergeskrik & iets was nie pluis
nie ek was so lost ek was nie in my eie huis nie.
Die mooiste woorde is verby. Anyway & toe het ek gedroom
dat ek in ’n taal so ver as moontlik van Afrikaans af kan
gaan woon.

In my boyhood het ek ’n meisie gehad sy was beautiful
beyond Afrikaans sy kon heelnag my so hartseer dans & sy
was somehow Gert se laaste stance. En toe het sy gedroom
dat sy in ’n lyf so ver as moontlik van my lyf af gaan woon.
Die mooiste liefde is verby. Anyway & toe het ek gedroom
dat ek by haar lyf so ver as moontlik van my lyf af gaan
woon.

Somewhere het ek gedroom dat ek my eie begrafnis bywoon
& Pa was daar & Ma was daar & al my gelifdes soos in my
gelukkigste jaar. Maar die mooiste was dat dit die mooiste was
dit dit was dat ek afgebuk het na die grond & myself gesoen
het op my eie mond.
Die mooiste drome is verby. Anyway & toe het ek gedroom
dat ek in ’n droom so ver as moontlik van hier & nou af kan
gaan woon.

Laasnag het ek gedroom dat ek weer in 1975 woon, die jaar
toe ek laas gelukkig was. Toe het ek afgekom by die trap &
vir my water getap in die kombuis dit was so stil in die huis.
Die mooiste jare is verby. Anyway & toe het ek gedroom dat
ek in ’n land so ver as moontlik van Suid-Afrika af gaan
woon. & toe het ek gedroom dat ek in ’n land so ver as
moontlik van Suid-Afrika af gaan woon.
Close

EPITAPH

Last night I dreamed that I was living in 1975 again, the year
when I was last happy. Then I walked down the steps & tapped
water for myself in the kitchen it was so quiet in the house.
The best years are gone. Anyway, & then I dreamed that I
would one day live as far away from 1998 as possible.

Last year I dreamed that I was living in my own most
beautiful words again in my most beautiful village & that I
was starting to get healthy again. Then I woke suddenly &
something wasn’t right I was so lost I wasn’t in my own home.
The most beautiful words are gone. Anyway, & then I
dreamed that I had gone to live in a language as far away
from Afrikaans as possible.

I my boyhood I had a girl she was beautiful beyond
Afrikaans she could make my heart dance in pain all night
& she was somehow Gert’s last stance. And then she dreamed
that she had gone to live in a body as far away from my body as possible.
The loveliest love is gone. Anyway, then I dreamed that I had
gone to live by her body as far away from my body as possible.

Somewhere I dreamed that I attended my own funeral
& Pa was there & Ma was there & all my loves like in my
happiest year. But the best was this the best was this this was
that I bent down to the ground & kissed myself on my own
mouth.
The most beautiful dreams are gone. Anyway, then I dreamed
that I had gone to live in a dream as far away as possible
from here & now

Last night I dreamed that I was living in 1975 again, the year
when I was last happy. Then I descended from the step &
tapped water for myself in the kitchen it was so quiet in the
house. The best years are gone. Anyway, & then I dreamed that
I went to live in a country as far away from South Africa as
possible. & then I dreamed that I went to live in a country as
far away from South Africa as possible.

EPITAPH

Last night I dreamed that I was living in 1975 again, the year
when I was last happy. Then I walked down the steps & tapped
water for myself in the kitchen it was so quiet in the house.
The best years are gone. Anyway, & then I dreamed that I
would one day live as far away from 1998 as possible.

Last year I dreamed that I was living in my own most
beautiful words again in my most beautiful village & that I
was starting to get healthy again. Then I woke suddenly &
something wasn’t right I was so lost I wasn’t in my own home.
The most beautiful words are gone. Anyway, & then I
dreamed that I had gone to live in a language as far away
from Afrikaans as possible.

I my boyhood I had a girl she was beautiful beyond
Afrikaans she could make my heart dance in pain all night
& she was somehow Gert’s last stance. And then she dreamed
that she had gone to live in a body as far away from my body as possible.
The loveliest love is gone. Anyway, then I dreamed that I had
gone to live by her body as far away from my body as possible.

Somewhere I dreamed that I attended my own funeral
& Pa was there & Ma was there & all my loves like in my
happiest year. But the best was this the best was this this was
that I bent down to the ground & kissed myself on my own
mouth.
The most beautiful dreams are gone. Anyway, then I dreamed
that I had gone to live in a dream as far away as possible
from here & now

Last night I dreamed that I was living in 1975 again, the year
when I was last happy. Then I descended from the step &
tapped water for myself in the kitchen it was so quiet in the
house. The best years are gone. Anyway, & then I dreamed that
I went to live in a country as far away from South Africa as
possible. & then I dreamed that I went to live in a country as
far away from South Africa as possible.
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