LAND

under orders from my ancestors you were occupied
had I language I could write for you were land my land

but me you never wanted
no matter how I stretched to lie down
in rustling blue gums
in cattle lowering horns into Diepvlei
rippling the quivering jowls drink
in silky tassels in dripping gum
in thorn trees that have slid down into emptiness

me you never wanted
me you could never endure
time and again you shook me off
you rolled me out
land, slowly I became nameless in my mouth

now you are fought over
negotiated divided paddocked sold stolen mortgaged
I want to go underground with you land
land that would not have me
land that never belonged to me

land that I love more fruitlessly than before

grond

grond

onder bevele van my voorgeslagte was jy besit
had ek taal kon ek skryf want jy was grond my grond

maar my wou jy nooit
hoe ek ookal strek om my neer te lê
in ruisende blou bloekoms
in bees wat horings sak in Diepvlei
rimpelend drink die trillende keelvel
in tafsytossels in leksels gom
in doringbome afgegly na die leegtes

mý wou jy nooit
my verduur kon jy nooit
keer op keer skud jy my af
rol jy my uit
grond, ek word langsaam naamloos in die mond

nou word geveeg om jou
beding verdeel verkamp verkoop versteel verpand
ek wil ondergronds gaan met jou grond
grond wat my nie wou hê nie
grond wat nooit aan my behoort het nie

grond wat ek vergeefser as vroeër liefhet