My childhood photo
black white grey sepia
So little remembered
day-for-day
yet.... much rekindled
Who will do the memory work
who will journey with me
who will listen
who will understand?
Who will sit with me
in wafts of smoke
around the orange glow;
a pinch of tinder, a touch of kindling
Umzimkulu district, south of durban
north of kokstad with its icy winters
this side of lesotho mountains
dust into the fabric
Raisethorpe with its firewalking
disciples of the gods
the old sewsunker store
long bamboo poles with red flags
red threads in the fabric
Woodlands: cement-block land
corralled dreams
where (on Fridays, at youth club)
stallions ran and nightingales sang
virtuous circle
of church and love
tethered to a fire hydrant
Grey pants from ‘asmalls'
warm water wash, do not use bleach
dry in sun, gently refresh.
white shirt from ‘eddies': press with
hot iron
remember to ‘hand down'
Look carefully at the eyes
note a mouth that speaks, the gravelly voice
the halting tones
and if you can, the hand that will (someday)
write upon the wall
Look carefully
a deliberate gathering of dots
in the souse & dye
in sepia times
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
A refined poetic imagination, Frank Meintjies. You may like to read my poem, Love And Iust. Thank you.