Poem
Marlene van Niekerk
MORNING OF THE SOUTHERN BOUBOU
Holy fuck! slipped from the knucklesof this side’s foodfiddler and domesticator,
the shrike flits through daybreak’s crevice,
ama-a-a-a-zed at the spice of his cinnamon chest,
under his clove claws the rock ‘n roll rippin’
spick ‘n spark spillin’ crossriversands,
tincture of peck flecked on his coat tails and flanks,
fixed in his frock, tophat trimmed
he frolicks over acres to the water’s edge, look!
triiiiiiiillllions big and small shrikes in the looking glass,
cut it, you cohorts of chancers in the ripples
that he counters with a cocky akimbo,
quicktailin’ the kidlight in the riverine herb,
and sidesteps, see here, this swi-sh-sh-shy oldcart waistcoat,
he is the one and only goddodger
here in the tendertipped noonteasing sun
!toweak in his throttle sits his petname !toweak
like a bell in the mouth cunt, a-rou-ou-ou-sed
by the mouthsoft morn.
© Translation: 2013, Marlene van Niekerk
From the Cederberg suite
OGGEND VAN ‘N WATERFISKAAL
OGGEND VAN ‘N WATERFISKAAL
Allagot! geglip uit die knukkelsvan hierdie kant se koskans- en hansmaker,
wip die waterfiskaal die oggendkier in,
kaneeeeeel van verbasing op sy bors,
onder sy kruidnagelkloutjies die rinkink-rulle
spiksplinterspuwende dwarsriviersand,
tinktuuuuur van manelkwik geveer op sy flanke,
strak in die frak, die keil platgekam,
akkelief hy oor die akkers tot die waterkant, kyk! -
triljarrrrrrrrrrde klein en groot fiskale innie spiekspiegel,
hokaai kohorte kansvatters
wat hy konter met pronkstand akimbo,
knipstert na die kindlig in die oewerkrui,
en wegstaan, kyk so, eeeeene ollewagen-onderbaadjie,
hy is die een en innigste godontglipper
hier in die prilwilde hoogmakerson,
!tewiek in sy keel sit sy roepnaam !tewiek
soos ‘n klok in die bergkut, ketoooools
van die mondsagte môre.
© 2013, Marlene van Niekerk
Uit die Cederbergsuite
Poems
Poems of Marlene van Niekerk
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MORNING OF THE SOUTHERN BOUBOU
Holy fuck! slipped from the knucklesof this side’s foodfiddler and domesticator,
the shrike flits through daybreak’s crevice,
ama-a-a-a-zed at the spice of his cinnamon chest,
under his clove claws the rock ‘n roll rippin’
spick ‘n spark spillin’ crossriversands,
tincture of peck flecked on his coat tails and flanks,
fixed in his frock, tophat trimmed
he frolicks over acres to the water’s edge, look!
triiiiiiiillllions big and small shrikes in the looking glass,
cut it, you cohorts of chancers in the ripples
that he counters with a cocky akimbo,
quicktailin’ the kidlight in the riverine herb,
and sidesteps, see here, this swi-sh-sh-shy oldcart waistcoat,
he is the one and only goddodger
here in the tendertipped noonteasing sun
!toweak in his throttle sits his petname !toweak
like a bell in the mouth cunt, a-rou-ou-ou-sed
by the mouthsoft morn.
© 2013, Marlene van Niekerk
From the Cederberg suite
MORNING OF THE SOUTHERN BOUBOU
Holy fuck! slipped from the knucklesof this side’s foodfiddler and domesticator,
the shrike flits through daybreak’s crevice,
ama-a-a-a-zed at the spice of his cinnamon chest,
under his clove claws the rock ‘n roll rippin’
spick ‘n spark spillin’ crossriversands,
tincture of peck flecked on his coat tails and flanks,
fixed in his frock, tophat trimmed
he frolicks over acres to the water’s edge, look!
triiiiiiiillllions big and small shrikes in the looking glass,
cut it, you cohorts of chancers in the ripples
that he counters with a cocky akimbo,
quicktailin’ the kidlight in the riverine herb,
and sidesteps, see here, this swi-sh-sh-shy oldcart waistcoat,
he is the one and only goddodger
here in the tendertipped noonteasing sun
!toweak in his throttle sits his petname !toweak
like a bell in the mouth cunt, a-rou-ou-ou-sed
by the mouthsoft morn.
© 2013, Marlene van Niekerk
From the Cederberg suite
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