Coots At The Dam (Refrain Stanza Sequence) Poem by Gert Strydom

(after C. M. van der Heever)

It's twelve o'clock and the sun hangs high in the sky
the reflection does catch the eye,
babbling water laps on the dam, the wind jerks on my shirt's hem,
whispers through every reed and stem
and it's as if every animal longs for freedom as it passes by
when a coot-hen with her fowls do pass on water that fall and rise
where the motherly love of the bird does one surprise,
while a motorboat sails wildly up and down
and the mother do try to shelter her own
while again the boat at speed passes and almost do fly,
the reflection does catch the eye,

when the scolding of the coots you do hear
while they flap their wings in great fear
and disfigured is the picture that did allure
as if man does threaten almost every animal in his pleasure
and yet the sun hangs high and clear
when still scolding the coots fly away
the boat out of control do up and down sway,
into a crash with another do steer
while they flap their wings in great fear.

[Reference:"Die vertrekkende wildeganse" (The departing wild geese)by C. M. van der Heever.]