The Ballade Of Jakob Ontong Poem by Gert Strydom

(after D. F. Malherbe)

I
Tired of the mowing of the oats-field
Jakob Ontong walks with his heirloom in his hand,
struggles over a small knoll through the veldt
and a whirling wind turns in front of him in the sand.

II
Chorus:
with an old guitar he walks to where the roads cross,
his bare feet is hurt by the rough gravel,
at midnight he wants to play the guitar masterly,
it's dark night and he hears the wind rumble

III
and wild is his forelock that hangs over his head
with an arrogant hat skew upon it,
where he goes to meet the devil
and comes to a halt in the middle of the crossroad.

IV
Just tomorrow night Saartjie Dawids will be married
and huge tears roll over his cheeks and fall into the dust,
as right here she did promise him her hand
and the world around him looks icy and dull.

V
He thinks about the cursing William Squint-eye
who she will marry far away at Onderplaas,
how she promised him her heart eternally right here
and on the crossroad Jakob Ontong stands confused.

VI
He wants to play her a song from his sorrow,
wants his guitar to share his terrible heartache to her,
wants the sound to pierce through her spirit and flesh
and his soul that he does sacrifice does not bother him.

VII
In the distance he hears the crowing of a cock,
how the old church-bell does ring off twelve o'clock,
suddenly a terrible blue-white thunderbolt does flash,
right where he is standing with a bowed head,

VIII
the demon before his eyes becomes flesh
and in the heart of Jakob Ontong there is no fear
and when the devil plays on his steel guitar,
his heart is healed from the heartache

IX
and three times higher than him flames arise where it is dancing,
Jakob Ontong plays perfectly along as if in a trance,
where both do make the loveliest music for long moments,
he does get from the one who devours souls his wish and his chance

X
and so Jakob Ontong plays right through until the morning light,
see the glowing horns on the devil's head,
trades his own soul as the price for his wishes
and is prepared to take revenge on Saartjie Dawids

XI
where at daylight the devil greets him with a smile,
does invite Jakob Ontong to meet him again,
where he is still playing enchantingly on his guitar
and the taste of the coming revenge is sweet on his lips.

XII
At Onderplaas Jakob Ontong plays that it does buzz,
the people dance the reel while his heart is bouncing in him,
he changes the tune hits the strings quicker
where Saartjie and Willam up and down do the cotillion,

XIII
every one is impressed with his playing
and they are wet from their sweat
but still quicker he plays another tune,
do not become tired of the playing,

XIV
and the guests dance jolly into the night,
do dance on his music and loose them
and Jakob Ontong keeps playing the strings,
waits upon his hour of revenge to begin

XV
and quicker they dance as if enchanted
where he makes the most beautiful melodies with his guitar,
until a thunder-bolt comes down out of the night sky
and the guitar screams enraged its cruel revenge

XVI
when at midnight Saartjie Dawids is hit
by a blue-white lightning bolt,
while Jakob Ontong just does continue to play
and then laughs just like the devil.

[Reference: "Jakob Ontong" by D. F. Malherbe.]

© Gert Strydom