PoetryNetArchive
Tuis /
Home
Briewe /
Letters
Kennisgewings /
Notices
Skakels /
Links
Boeke /
Books
Onderhoude /
Interviews
Fiksie /
Fiction
Poësie /
Poetry
Taaldebat /
Language debate
Opiniestukke /
Essays
Rubrieke /
Columns
Kos & Wyn /
Food & Wine
Film /
Film
Teater /
Theatre
Musiek /
Music
Resensies /
Reviews
Nuus /
News
Spesiale projekte /
Special projects
Slypskole /
Workshops
Opvoedkunde /
Education
Artikels /
Features
Geestelike literatuur /
Religious literature
Visueel /
Visual
Reis /
Travel
Expatliteratuur /
Expat literature
Gayliteratuur /
Gay literature
Xhosa
Zulu
Nederlands /
Dutch
Hygliteratuur /
Erotic literature
Bieg /
Confess
Sport
In Memoriam
Wie is ons? /
More on LitNet
Adverteer op LitNet /
Advertise on LitNet
LitNet is ’n onafhanklike joernaal op die Internet, en word as gesamentlike onderneming deur Ligitprops 3042 BK en Media24 bedryf.

Almost Found Poem:

Bird-Calls

Jonty Driver

The emerald-spotted wood dove cries:
“My father is dead
“My mother is dead
“My heart goes boom - boom - boom - boom - boom - boom - boom...”

The grey lourie advises everyone:
“Go away, go away”.

The horn-bills say merely:
“Go back, go back”.

The rock pigeon resonates:
“Who-who? Who-who?”

The laughing dove (well, are you surprised?) laughs -
Or is it chortles?

The pied kingfisher gets excited
And calls “Chik-chik, chik-chik.”

The crested barbet has a rattle in its throat.

You don’t hear much of the little bee-eater
As it dashes about.

The red-billed hoopoes cackle:
“Thlega bafazi, thlega bafazi”
(Which means, sorry to say, “a gaggle of women”).

The striped kingfisher greets the evening,
“Cheer-o, cheer-o”.

The yellow-throated longclaw insists:
“Don’t hassle me when I’m going drinking”
(Nya Xala njangi twalzen).

The bou-bou shrike says “Boo-boo”
When his mate says “Koo-koo, whee-oo, too-whee”.

The pearl-spotted owl grieves quietly:
“Pehew, pehew”.

The bokmakierie says his name over and over again.

The grey-headed bush-shrike whistles like a ghost, loud and long

And the fiery-necked nightjar says, very quietly,
“O Lord deliver us”.




LitNet: 14 February 2006

Back to Jonty Driver's poetry

Did you enjoy this poem? Have your say! Send your comments to webvoet@litnet.co.za, and become a part of our interactive opinion page. Or submit your own poetry to Michelle McGrane for consideration.

back    /     to the top


© Kopiereg in die ontwerp en inhoud van hierdie webruimte behoort aan LitNet, uitgesluit die kopiereg in bydraes wat berus by die outeurs wat sodanige bydraes verskaf. LitNet streef na die plasing van oorspronklike materiaal en na die oop en onbeperkte uitruil van idees en menings. Die menings van bydraers tot hierdie werftuiste is dus hul eie en weerspieël nie noodwendig die mening van die redaksie en bestuur van LitNet nie. LitNet kan ongelukkig ook nie waarborg dat hierdie diens ononderbroke of foutloos sal wees nie en gebruikers wat steun op inligting wat hier verskaf word, doen dit op hul eie risiko. Media24, M-Web, Ligitprops 3042 BK en die bestuur en redaksie van LitNet aanvaar derhalwe geen aanspreeklikheid vir enige regstreekse of onregstreekse verlies of skade wat uit sodanige bydraes of die verskaffing van hierdie diens spruit nie. LitNet is ’n onafhanklike joernaal op die Internet, en word as gesamentlike onderneming deur Ligitprops 3042 BK en Media24 bedryf.