Poem
Ronelda Kamfer
THE BOSS OF THE FARM
I have a grannywho only speaks one language
she tells me stories of boss Willem
and dr. Metzler
how good boss Willem was to her
he always let her choose
what old clothes she wanted
she tells of miles of walking to the town
and how boss Willem let her
sit in front of the pick-up
boss Willem told her her children
didn’t need to finish primary school
they were going to work on the farm anyway
and help raise the kids
dr. Metzler said
my granny’s kids confused him
they had an immorality in their eyes
he says my granny should be grateful
the last one was stillborn
the one whose name
would have been Judas
© Translation: 2021, Robert Dorsman
DIE BAAS VAN DIE PLAAS
DIE BAAS VAN DIE PLAAS
ek het ’n oumawat net een taal praat
sy vertel my stories van baas Willem
en dr. Metzler
hoe goed baas Willem vir haar was
sy kon altyd eerste kies
watter ou klere sy wou hê
sy vertel van myle stap dorp toe
en hoe baas Willem haar voor
in die bakkie laat sit het baas Willem het
gesê haar kinders
hoef nie die standerd 10 te maak nie
hulle gaan mos op die plaas werk
en help met die kinders grootmaak
dr. Metzler het gesê
my ouma se kinders confuse hom
hulle’t ’n immorality in hul oë
hy sê my ouma kan dankie sê
die laaste een is doodgebore
daai een se naam
sou Judas gewees het
© 2008, Ronelda Kamfer
From: Noudat slapende honde
Publisher: Kwela,
From: Noudat slapende honde
Publisher: Kwela,
Poems
Poems of Ronelda Kamfer
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THE BOSS OF THE FARM
I have a grannywho only speaks one language
she tells me stories of boss Willem
and dr. Metzler
how good boss Willem was to her
he always let her choose
what old clothes she wanted
she tells of miles of walking to the town
and how boss Willem let her
sit in front of the pick-up
boss Willem told her her children
didn’t need to finish primary school
they were going to work on the farm anyway
and help raise the kids
dr. Metzler said
my granny’s kids confused him
they had an immorality in their eyes
he says my granny should be grateful
the last one was stillborn
the one whose name
would have been Judas
© 2021, Robert Dorsman
From: Noudat slapende honde
From: Noudat slapende honde
THE BOSS OF THE FARM
I have a grannywho only speaks one language
she tells me stories of boss Willem
and dr. Metzler
how good boss Willem was to her
he always let her choose
what old clothes she wanted
she tells of miles of walking to the town
and how boss Willem let her
sit in front of the pick-up
boss Willem told her her children
didn’t need to finish primary school
they were going to work on the farm anyway
and help raise the kids
dr. Metzler said
my granny’s kids confused him
they had an immorality in their eyes
he says my granny should be grateful
the last one was stillborn
the one whose name
would have been Judas
© 2021, Robert Dorsman
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