Ja Well, No Man, But Fine (E-Lollipop Revisited) Poem by Margaret Kollmer

Now Dlamini was a mini-Zulu chieftain
At least that’s what he rather liked to think
But Dlamini didn’t laugh when his Mama said, I chaff:
Go help your Pa because you’re driving me to drink!

Jannie was a mini-farmer seuntjie
Who also liked to think he was a chief
But Jannie didn’t laugh when his Mama said, I chaff:
Go help your Pa and then come in and dry the beef.

Jag hom hier, jag hom daar, all the time, ag
Ja well, no man, but fine…
Jag him hier, jag hom daar, all the time, ag
Ja well, no man, but fine.

Dlamini had to work by stamping mealies
And watched his sisters make them into bread
But Dlamini didn’t laugh when his Mama said, I chaff:
Ey, when you’ve had your food you hamba off to bed.

Jannie thought that living was exciting
He would lag-af fetching wood and sweeping floors
But Jannie didn’t laugh when his Mama said, I chaff:
Wash the dishes, feed the oxen just becorse!

Jag hom hier, jag hom daar, all the time, ag
Ja well, no man, but fine …
Jag hom hier, jag hom daar, all the time, ag
Ja well, no man, but fine.

Time came when the two lads got together
To make a plan to start another life …
But neither of them laughed when their Mamas said, I chaff:
Eh you boys, we’ve found for you a bossy wife!

Jag hom hier, jag hom daar, all the time, ag
Ja well, no man, but fine …
Jag hom hier, jag hom daar, all the time, ag
Ja well, no man, but fine.