At Lambert's Bay The Fishing Trawlers Sail Out Poem by Gert Strydom

At Lambert's Bay The Fishing Trawlers Sail Out



At Lambert's Bay the fishing trawlers sail out
where clouds of smoke hang over the boats
while the rain pours down in buckets.

The waves hit, the sea foams and bubble,
it looks as if a storm is rising
and 'my girlfriend has a fine fellow, '

one sings in darkness before he starts whistling
where clouds of smoke hang over the boats.
At Lambert's Bay the fishing trawlers sail out

seeking snoek, cod and sea-trout
and the boat turns to get out fishing gear,
it looks as if a storm is rising

and the men wait on the sea's first gifts
with rain like only God's hosepipe brings
while the rain pours down in buckets.

'Look at that shining bodies, tons of trout, they are running free, '
the song continues and something falls down
and the boat turns to get out fishing gear,

with engines roaring loudly
every fisherman is caught for a moment.
At Lambert's Bay the fishing trawlers sail out

'my girlfriend has a fine fellow and he is a wild goat, '
one sings against the wind with more joining voices,
the song continues and something falls down

and the tiller-man wonders about the sudden rain
but the fishermen are catching
while the rain pours down in buckets

they are standing ready but half-blinded
'Where are we going on the wide, wide sea'
one sings against the wind with more joining voices,

gigantic waves hits and pulls the boat
and some fishermen are scared.
At Lambert's Bay the fishing trawlers sail out
while the rain pours down in buckets

while the fishermen sing their song:
'The waves hit, the sea foams and bubble, '
'where are we going on the wide, wide sea'
and 'my girlfriend has a fine fellow.'

[Reference: Barracouta is known in South-Africa as 'snoek.']

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Gert Strydom

Gert Strydom

Johannesburg, South Africa
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