News Report Poem by Gert Strydom

Only one person survived the attack,
when three black men with machineguns
killed the farmer, screaming loudly: “come here you bitch, ”
bursting into the house, kicking her, stripping her clothes off
and they acted as if totally insane.
On the floor she was tied up tightly
where they raped her, shouting: “you Boor whore.”
In the hospital she cried without end,
could hardly face reporters for the interview,
are without her possessions, husband and country and feels dirty.

She will never forget the black rapists,
even when praying to God,
as long as the killers still are alive,
there’s something burning in her like festering wounds
and only a grave is left to the honour of her husband,
in thoughts she is again swept away,
it feels as if every black man is watching her,
nothing can be trade for the life of her husband,
she strongly considers selling the farm,
are without her possessions, husband and country and feels dirty.

In her thoughts she lives through it again
with fear for a sexual disease or sores,
at night suddenly get awake shivering,
out of superstition even avoids ladders,
sometimes falls asleep in her pink underwear,
hear branches rustle, a dove cooing,
it feels as if someone wants to silence her,
she wants to hide from the whole world,
totally apathetic feeds the cattle green fodder,
are without her possessions,
husband and country and feels dirty.

l’Envoi
but the community is deeply moved by her,
they want to capture and abduct the criminals,
believe that terrorists are lurking on farms,
but she doesn’t want to mention this matter again,
are without her possessions, husband and country and feels dirty.