Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Ronelda Kamfer

THE BOSS OF THE FARM

I have a granny 
who 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

DIE BAAS VAN DIE PLAAS

DIE BAAS VAN DIE PLAAS

ek het ’n ouma 
wat 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
Close

THE BOSS OF THE FARM

I have a granny 
who 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

THE BOSS OF THE FARM

I have a granny 
who 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
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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