The end of the tale...

 And as the first draft of this Tale of Extra Ordinary Madness draws to its conclusion and my time here in Nieu Bethesda draws to a close, I am already dreading the return to the city.

Just this afternoon I was walking with Spooky and Gump - my walking companions - as the sun was setting with the sound of the wind in the trees, the rustle of leaves, birdsong, geese and chickens; a wind pump, the water flowing steadily in the furrow; timeless and soothing.

Soon all of this will be just a memory and I thought about the constant, furious, cacophonous rush and fearful vigilance of life in the city and my soul sighed with the wind.

My last few weeks here will be filled with a sad nostalgia for the beauty that I have been privileged to be a part of. The people, the children, the souls' calm. Talk of stock theft and petty crime will be replaced by sirens and burglar bars and the constant fear. No more moonlit walks, no more silence, no more tranquility. Just the rush...

WHERE DO I BEGIN / THANK YOU

Often life’s journey presents so much more

Than all the anticipation; exceeding every expectation

More even than can be conjured by my most vivid imagination

Such is the case within this landscape which I now traverse

Which has served to restore my faith in the universe.

I came to this place with a singular focus

Intent that nothing would detract from my purpose

To record a tale of my own mad creation

A tale of pain and triumph; a story of this nation

I travelled alone, companioned only by my own jaded preconception.

From the moment that I arrived I was made to feel at home

Here where a part of my soul will now always reside

A solitary wanderer but no longer alone

Amidst the silence and birdsong and the freedom to be

Amongst strangers, no longer, where I could just be me.

And from that very first moment I’ve been struggling to put down

The words that would suitably express my heartfelt gratitude

My deepest, humble appreciation of your kindness

For having had the honour and the pleasure

For having been granted this opportunity to be a part of this beauty.

And still the words fail to convey all that I feel

So instead I will just say my Thank You to you now

For your open arms and the bounty of your hearts

For sharing your lives and your love and the ready laughter

But thank you most of all for your honesty and being all of you.

DESIRE'S SPEECH - FROM 'WAITING'

(STANDS AND BEGINS TO CARESS THE DRAPE BEFORE TYING THE FIRST KNOT) Men believe that they are the stronger sex. (SNORTS DERISIVELY) They believe that they have to go through life conquering anything and everything with their dicks. Look at what’s happening in the world – in fact think back on what’s been happening all along. Men have been running the show for forever and look where it’s left us; wars, ignorance, hatred, poverty, suffering and the ever present fear. Most of the time, they are all delusional and yet they believe that they are wise and powerful. Fucking arseholes! They wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between night and day if they were not told. They really think that they are Kings but the truth is…  Women are Goddesses and our vaginas are the altars at which men bow down and pray. (PAUSE) When I was just a little girl, life decided to teach me one of the most valuable lessons that I would ever learn. I had to sacrifice my virginity and my innocence to a stranger who turned around and told me that it was my fault that he had to rape me. (DERISIVE LAUGHTER) Sometimes life’s lessons are sweet and endearing, but most of the time, the things we are taught are cruel and heartless. I learned that no matter how powerful men may think they are, women are even more powerful because we are the mothers and nurturers of creation.

EVEN WHEN I DIE

The band is still playing

Even though some of the musicians are dead

The melody is unchanged

While the harmonies soar instead.

We dance closer than ever

Every pore receptive to the sentient certainty

Of the immortal accord of this love that cannot die

An immortal love that embraces this mortal union.

Your skin burns beneath my fingers

My tongue tracing poetry upon your body

Your ragged breath, the primal groan and your unerring gaze

A minor harmonic trio at the heart of this sensory symphony.

Our beings emptied, drained and refilled complete

Two parts of a single soul once again abounding

The past and the future crystallized in the perpetual moment

The present, an ubiquitous ideal; assiduous perfection.

HANOVER PARK

Daa’ loep Tiema, sy’s wee’ met die lyf

Windjie waai en mince haa’ kuif

Voete’s vaal van al ‘ie loep

Winkel toe om brood te koep.

Die kinnetjies speel buite by die blok

Pa het lankal uitgeklok

Hy’t ee’ste uitgegooi op die hoek

Lekke’ líewe, vríet net koek

Kan’tie sy naam was heel tyd in die boek

Te veel mense het hom ve’vloek

Nou is Tiema stok-siel allíen

Soek ‘n burk om míen te spíen.

Wan’ die líewe is swaa’

Al’dou is djy waa’

Die sukkel hou nie op nie

Soe o’s drink ma’ nog ‘n doppie

Gevríet net ma wee’ in die sand

En hulle sê is o’s land

Soe ‘it is mos o’right om kak te vríet

Drown die sorrows en ve’dríet

Totdat die ouens wee’ begin’e skiet

En nog ‘n laaitie moet al wee’ djiet

Mang toe as hy lucky is

Onder die grond en weg met die lus.

Die Droomdief

Developed with the pupils from the

Lettie de Klerk Primary School Arts Project

in Pienaarsig Nieu Bethesda.

Die Droomdief is a work-shopped children’s play that will be performed by the pupils of the Lettie de Klerk Primary School Arts Project which is a voluntary community outreach project coordinated and facilitated by Michael Wentworth. The story was developed over a period of four weeks with the participants in the Saturday drama component of the project. The cast is comprised of students between the ages of 9 and 11 who are currently in grades 4 to 6.

HIE’SA

Van hie’ bo

Lyk die hele spot befok

Me’nie liggies en skuitjies

Daa’ver.

Van hie’ bo

Klink die hele spot befok

Me’nie shoesh en toet-toet

Daa’ ver.

Van hie’ bo

Voel die hele spot befok

Me’nie space en kalmte

Daa’ ver.

Van hie’ bo

Is ‘it ma’ o’right.

THE VOW

Now we are not alone

What has been is no more

Today is the seed

Tomorrow but its fruit.

Now we embrace the all

We’ve each claimed to love

Little nuances previously ignored

Becomes a part of the whole.

In words I’ve failed to convey

Exactly what it is I feel

I’ve accepted you until death

With love steeped in years.

Now I say I love you

And I hope that you understand.

WARTS AND ALL

I come to you with my life

Energy oozing from my very pores

I am all in thought

A struggling manifestation of the will.

Far have you wandered and wide

Self preserving you searched

For an unreality that blinds

Lost to all that you have found.

We share fragile moments

When I am someplace else

And you with someone not present

We play the same sad games.

I am this that I so vehemently indulge

And you are no longer with me.

MONDAY THE TWENTY-FORTH

Tense moments conceived within

The miserable confines of ill-content

Desperately do I yearn for release

From this life that binds me.

And even the moving euphoria

Seems reduced in the face of such longing

The means seem pathetic

As I shed these silent tears.

Don’t just hold me

Take me away from all of the denial

Wounded hearts and diluted smiles

That shade such balmy days.

There has to be other paths

There has to be a new day!

1994

After all this time

All the crap I’ve been through

Means nothing in your eyes

But the further denial of myself.

IMPOSSIBLE

To have you now

Here with me for a talk

Is as ridiculous as it ever seemed.

I’ve journeyed vast plains

Only to find upon my return

That the experience is negligible.

I must regress a thousand thoughts

To share an empty laugh

With the friends I left behind.

I see them clearly

But they fail to perceive me

Beyond the confines of their unreason.

Within this crowded space

I am most alone

Touched only by the pathetic resignation.