Lament

Hanni van den Heever

She has
twirled
among the kilts
in the Perth town hall.
She has
harmonised
Christmas carols
in the Land of Song.

She has
donned
soft shoes
to glide
over star-shaped mosaics
in the Great Hall
of Catherine’s Palace.
She has
floated
up the river so blau, so blau
and passed
ancient castles
that stared
with vacant eyes
through empty windows.
A stranger
lean and hungry
tapped her on the shoulder,
bowed,
and asked her ... to dance.

Yes
she has
charmed
not one but many
on her way.
Were they
drawn to her?
Fooled
by her aura of promise?
Were they
prepared to wait?
Prepared
for her reality?

... reality was
prettier than a dream
rhymed
Carolina de Jesus
it’s blowing in the wind
whined
Bob Dylan.
‘Now’ moments of the past
float, spin and fall
like Autumn leaves
to become
the ‘then’ of Winter —
memories
of Spring and Summer —
forever gone.
She returns
to watch the sun
withdraw
below
a Karoo horizon
where it leaves
a stain of blood.

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.