The Ballade Of Japie Greyling Poem by Gert Strydom

(after Jan F. E. Celliers)

I
It's dark-night with no wind stirring anything,
when mother Greyling does pray to God,
are praying for her husband and three sons that are in the war
and her prayer does keep Japie here safely with her

II
Chorus:
but at speed the British soldiers gallop to them in a crowd,
surrounds the homestead and point with rifles form everywhere
against women and a eleven year old boy,
where they are intent on killing that child.

III
"Come boy, come walk with me, "
British general Jack Seeley commands where he is leading Japie,
do set up a firing squad against the boy,
to find an answer about his dad and brothers from him.

IV
Through the window his mother looks frightened upon the events,
prays for God to keep His hand in this violence over Japie.
"Point to where your Boer force has gone or we will shoot you right here! "
General Jack Seeley roars while Japie holds his glance.

V
The British soldiers aim and Japie is set against a wall.
"I will kill you right here! " Seeley screams while terrible fear is in the mother's heart.
"Shoot, " Japie says fearless and calm."Kill me right here! "
Japie looks at the British do not say a further word to them.

VI
Petrified his mother waits on the rifle shots,
captured prays in total powerlessness,
but Japie remains fierce where he looks straight through the British
and a mere child laughing at death does astonish general Seeley

VII
and while the British do ride away from the glance of a mere child.
mother Greyling does thank God,
while fearless Japie does go on with the work on the farm
and other women and children are devoured by the concentration camps.

[Reference:"Japie Greyling" by Jan F. E. Celliers.Poet's note:British general Jack Seeley (later lord Mottistone)do refer to this incident in his book "Fear and be slain."]

© Gert Strydom