29 May 2012

THE FOLKS

THE FOLKS 
© Farouk Asvat


Do you understand now? Gattoo.
He lives on another plane
He speaks nicely to us
Promises us green pastures
Here on the dry Cape Flats.
Lives in a palace, Gattoo.
An' here we are
In our beloved shacks.
Yes.  An' now the big-little-one is married
An' here the little one lies
An' suffers from hunger.
Oh foei tog,
So it goes:
a little pride here
a little heartache there
a piece o' bread and tea
a few pieces snoek
and stolen wine.
Yes, so it goes.
But always the hope remains,
You know,
That lies in a woman's heart.
It's worth nothing,
But it lets an old soul continue.




© farouk asvat


translated into english by farouk asvat: 2006 [Johannesburg, South Africa under new apartheid]




[] Acknowledgements:

The Folks was previously published in:

                A Celebration Of Flames (piquant publications, p22, 2007).



____________________________________________________________
[] WIETIE WHAT-WHAT / NES 'N SKOLLIE



DIE VOLK
© Farouk Asvat


Verstaan djy nou? Gattoo.
Hy liewe op 'n anne' plane
Hy praat mooi met ons
Promise ons green pastures
Hier oppie drooë Cape Flats.
Liewe in a pahleis, Gattoo.
En hie' is ons
In ons liewe pondokkies.
Ja.  En nou is die grotertjie getrou
En hier lê die kleintjie
En lei van hongerte.
Ag foei tog,
Soe gaan dit mos soe.
'n bietjie trots hier
'n bietjie hartseer daar
'n stukkie brood en tee
'n paar stukkies snoek
en 'n bietjie gesteelde wyn.
Ja, soe gaan dit mos soe.
Maa' altyd bly die hoop,
Djy wiet,
Wat in 'n vrou se hart lê.
Dis werd niks
Maa' dit laat 'n ou siel maa' aangaan.




© farouk asvat


original composed: 1985 [Johannesburg, South Africa under apartheid]




[] Acknowledgements:

Die Volk was previously published in:

                A Celebration Of Flames (donker, p22, 1987);
                Bra Frooks … (piquant publications, p26, 2006).




Bra Frooks is ...
                                []  nes 'n skollie
                                []  'n egte skollie
                                []  nes 'n joster
                                []  'n tsotsi
                                []  a real scamp
                                []  streetwise
                                []  the jokerman

Bra Frooks ...
                                []  praat soos 'n skollie
                                []  wietie soos 'n joster
                                []  wietie what-what
                                []  tunes like a durbanite
                                []  speaks like an englishman




© farouk asvat.  All rights reserved.

Farouk Asvat asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means whatsoever, or transmitted in any form or any means whatsoever, mechanical or electronic, including recording, printing, photocopying, or via any computerised means or media, including the internet.  This publication shall also not be stored in a retrieval system.  And the writing shall not be sold, lent, hired, resold or circulated in any form or binding or cover other than that in which it is published,
without the prior permission of the author in writing.
Permission to publish or reproduce the writings in any format can be obtained from the author.
Reproduction of this work without permission, except for scholarly purposes,
is liable to a payment of 10, 000 ren men bi or US$ 1,500.

farouk asvat can be contacted at:                                           farouk.asvat@gmail.com


[] please check out my blogs @:

faroukasvat-poems.blogspot.com/

faroukasvat-viewpoint.blogspot.com/

faroukasvat-lingo.blogspot.com/

piquantpublications.blogspot.com/


[] also see my profiles on:




FAROUK ASVAT - Twitter [for the latest list of poems and essays published]


[] and see my new poems on:

Farouk Asvat (FAROUKASVAT)'s comments from ... - Goodreads



22 May 2012

ON THE STATION

ON THE STATION
© Farouk Asvat


Ol' Bronkhorst is a nice kid you know
He smokes his greens an' whites
Takes a swig now and then
But Ol' Squitana
He's a real rubbish that
He likes to drink White Horse
'Til it kicks him out the backdoor
Now he comes by the flats the other night
To beat up the kid
About a blind speech
Over so another chick
But we don't july for him
An' before the thing can still develop
The whole rush is there by us
An' Ol' Squitana had to make an out
Cap an' all
So I jus' think
Ai, its a whole crowd that lives here by the flats
A genuine extortion racket I tell the wife
An' the rent also keeps going up every month
An' she says so out of the blue
As she now goes on with her work
"We must get Mandela out"
Yes, I tell for you
The Black Power blasted the whiteys now lately
Ei! they really beat up the Boers!
Anyway I must fly
The chook-chook is pulling in




© farouk asvat


translated into english by farouk asvat: 2006 [Johannesburg, South Africa under new apartheid]




[] Acknowledgements:

On The Station was previously published in:

                A Celebration Of Flames (piquant publications, p17, 2007).



____________________________________________________________
[] WIETIE WHAT-WHAT



OPPIE STASIE


Ou' Bronkhorst is a lekker laaitie djy wiet
Hy rook sy green en whites
Vat 'n dop nou en daan,
Maa' Ou' Squitana
Hy's 'n egte rubbish daai
Hy hou van White Horse drink
Tot dit hom by die agterdeur uitskop;
Nou ja, hy kom nou die aan' by die koesta
Om die laaitie te moer
Oor 'n blind spiech
Oor so' 'n anne' cherrie,
Maa' ons july mos nie
En voo' die deng nog ken develop
Is die hele rush daa' by ons
En Ou Squitana moet 'n uit,
'Kapie en al;
Toe dink ek mos:
Ai, dis 'n hele crowd wat hier by die flats bly
'n Egte extortion racket vertel ek die vrou
Ennie rent gaan oek maa' net op elke maan'
En sy sê so uit die bloute
Soos sy nou aan gaan met haar werk:
"Ons moet vi' Mandela uit kry."
Ja.  Ek vertel djou
Die Black Power het die lahnies nou las' geblas'
Ei! hulle het die boere gechaisa!
Anyway ek moet fly
Die bomba trek in




© farouk asvat


original composed: 1985 [Johannesburg, South Africa under apartheid]




[] Acknowledgements:

Oppie Stasie was previously published in:

                A Celebration Of Flames (donker, p17, 1987);
                Bra Frooks … (piquant publications, p23, 2007).




Bra Frooks is ...
                                []  nes 'n skollie
                                []  'n egte skollie
                                []  'n tsotsi
                                []  a real scamp
                                []  streetwise
                                []  the jokerman

Bra Frooks ...
                                []  praat soos 'n skollie
                                []  wietie soos 'n joster
                                []  wietie what-what
                                []  tunes like a durbanite
                                []  speaks like an englishman




© farouk asvat.  All rights reserved.

Farouk Asvat asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means whatsoever, or transmitted in any form or any means whatsoever, mechanical or electronic, including recording, printing, photocopying, or via any computerised means or media, including the internet.  This publication shall also not be stored in a retrieval system.  And the writing shall not be sold, lent, hired, resold or circulated in any form or binding or cover other than that in which it is published,
without the prior permission of the author in writing.
Permission to publish or reproduce the writings in any format can be obtained from the author.
Reproduction of this work without permission, except for scholarly purposes,
is liable to a payment of 10, 000 ren men bi or US$ 1,500.

farouk asvat can be contacted at:                                           farouk.asvat@gmail.com



[] please check out my blogs @:

faroukasvat-poems.blogspot.com/

faroukasvat-viewpoint.blogspot.com/

faroukasvat-lingo.blogspot.com/

piquantpublications.blogspot.com/


[] also see my profiles on:




FAROUK ASVAT - Twitter [for the latest list of poems and essays published]


[] and see my new poems on:



15 May 2012

I WAS JUST POLITICKING

I WAS JUST POLITICKING, BOSS
© Farouk Asvat


I was jus’ politicking , my boss.
So the cops came to fetch me
To holiday in the jail
Under the General Law.
Now I don't know
How they're going to charge me:
Maybe the Terrorism Act?
But the only terror that I know
Is when they came to fetch me
At the crack of dawn;
Maybe the Sabotage Act?
For fireworks on new year's eve;
Or the Internal Security Act?
'Cause its bloody secure to be inside:
You get a free ride to heaven
Straight from hell:
Ask the man who fell from the sky.
But then ol' Security Boss came
To say they are charging me
For Possession of Banned Publications.
Hullahah!
Kapzella! little one,
Even if the magistrate sends me to the cell again
'Cause I smile so deliciously




© farouk asvat


translated into english by farouk asvat: 2006 [Johannesburg, South Africa under new oppression]




[] Acknowledgements:

I Was Only Politicking was previously published in:

                A Celebration Of Flames (piquant publications, p16, 2007).



____________________________________________________________
[] WIETIE WHAT-WHAT


EK HET NET GEPOLITIEK, MY BAAS
© Farouk Asvat


Ek het net gepolitiek, my baas.
Toe ko' haal die mapuza my
Om te holiday innie mang
Onne' die General Law.
Nou wiet ek nie
Hoe hulle my gaan charge:
Miskien die Terrorism Act?
Maa' die enigste terror wat ek ken
Is toe hulle my ko' haal
Dou voo' dag;
Miskien die Sabotage Act?
Vi' crackers op nuwe jaa's aan';
Of die Internal Security Act?
Wan' dis mos blerrie secure om binne te wies:
Djy kry somme' 'n free ride heaven toe,
Straight van hell;
Vra' die Imaam.
Maa' toe ko' ou Spyker van Wyk
Om te sê hulle charge my
Vi' Possession of Banned Publications.
Hullahah!
Kapzella! mtwan'
Al stuur die magistraat my wee' cell toe
Wan' ek smile so lekke'




© farouk asvat


original composed: 1985 [Johannesburg, South Africa under apartheid]




[] Acknowledgements:

Ek Het Net Gepolitiek, My Baas was previously published in:

                A Celebration Of Flames (donker, p16, 1987);
                Bra Frooks … (piquant publications, p22, 2006).




Bra Frooks is ...
                                []  nes 'n skollie
                                []  'n egte skollie
                                []  'n tsotsi
                                []  a real scamp
                                []  streetwise
                                []  the jokerman

Bra Frooks ...
                                []  praat soos 'n skollie
                                []  wietie soos 'n joster
                                []  wietie what-what
                                []  tunes like a durbanite
                                []  speaks like an englishman




© farouk asvat.  All rights reserved.

Farouk Asvat asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this work.  
No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means whatsoever, or transmitted in any form or any means whatsoever, mechanical or electronic, including recording, printing, photocopying, or via any computerised means or media, including the internet.  This publication shall also not be stored in a retrieval system.  And the writing shall not be sold, lent, hired, resold or circulated in any form or binding or cover other than that in which it is published,
without the prior permission of the author in writing.
Permission to publish or reproduce the writings in any format can be obtained from the author.
Reproduction of this work without permission, except for scholarly purposes,
is liable to a payment of 10, 000 ren men bi or US$ 1,500.

farouk asvat can be contacted at:                                           farouk.asvat@gmail.com


[] please check out my blogs @:

faroukasvat-poems.blogspot.com/

faroukasvat-viewpoint.blogspot.com/

faroukasvat-lingo.blogspot.com/

piquantpublications.blogspot.com/


[] also see my profiles on:




FAROUK ASVAT - Twitter [for the latest list of poems and essays published]


[] and see my new poems on:



08 May 2012

DIRECTIONS TO HELL

DIRECTIONS TO HELL AND BEYOND  
© Farouk Asvat  


Directions From Bro' Biza in Josie 

     'Hey! how do I go to Fietas?'

"Take a left at the corner
  Turn right
  Its on your left."


Directions From Couzie-Bro' In Durban 

     'I say, how to get to the Hills, Couzie?'

"Brother, you'all sight that robot there?"
     'Ja ...'
"Well, that's none of your business.
 You'all just go straight.
 When you'all come top-side an'all
 You'all sight a cornershop there,
 You'all hit a left,
 Then you'all come to the stop sign
 - Well, don't worry about that -
 You'all just go straai-ght and straai-ght,
 When you'all sight the ocean
 You'all hit a right
 Then you'all just mo-tor and mo-tor
 Down hUmgeni Road.
 Therewa!
 Now you'all know
 How to get to Chatsworth an'all."


Directions From Ol' Pank In The Ol' Cape 

     'Hey Pank, how do we come by The Parade?'

"You know
 You jus’ go sooo straight
 Then you turn left by the robot
 Then you turn right
 There by the stop sign
 Then you turn right again
 Right into your mmother!"


© farouk asvat

* original composed: 01.02.1993 [Johannesburg, South Africa under apartheid].
# english translation by farouk asvat: 2006 [Johannesburg, South Africa under new apartheid].

[] Acknowledgements:

# Directions To Hell And beyond /
* Hoe Ko’ Ek By Die Hel was previously published in:

     The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (piquant publications, p51, 2006); #
     Bra Frooks … (piquant publications, p40, 2006); *
     Straight Talk From Bra Frooks: the legend of farouk asvat by Mphutlane wa Bofelo:
          www . kaganof . com / kagablog (08.11.2007) *
          Botsotso on line (2007) *
          Islamic Focus #14 (CIP, p5, December 2007) *
          Al Qalam (2007) *
     www.faroukasvat-lingo.blogspot.com (08.05.2012); * #
     www.faroukasvat-poems.blogspot.com (18.11.2014); * #
     Bra Frooks … (kindle, 2014); *
     Bra Frooks …  (amazon paperback, p42, 2014); *
     The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (kindle, 2014); #
     The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (amazon paperback, p50, 2014). #
______________________________________________________________
[§] Books by Farouk Asvat:

Sadness In The House Of Love (novel)
The Gathering Of The Storm (novel)
I Dream In Long Sentences (poetry)
The Wind Still Sings Sad Songs (poetry)
A Celebration Of Flames (poetry)
The Time Of Our Lives (poetry)
Bra Frooks … (poetry)*
The Paanies Are Coming (short stories)*
In The House Of Love (novel)*
Weapons Of Words (comparative literature & literary criticism)

¨ all my books are now available on amazon: in paperback & kindle
______________________________________________________________
© farouk asvat.  All rights reserved.

Farouk Asvat asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means whatsoever, or transmitted in any form or any means whatsoever, mechanical or electronic, including recording, printing, photocopying, or via any computerised means or media, including the internet.  This publication shall also not be stored in a retrieval system.  And the writing shall not be sold, lent, hired, resold or circulated in any form or binding or cover other than that in which it is published,
without the prior permission of the author in writing.
Permission to publish or reproduce the writings in any format can be obtained from the author.
Reproduction of this work without permission, except for scholarly & nonprofit purposes,
is liable to a payment of 10, 000 ren men bi or US$ 1,500.

farouk asvat can be contacted at: farouk.asvat@gmail.com

[] please check out my blogs @:





books by farouk asvat: www.faroukasvat-books.blogspot.com

[] also link up on:






amazon kindle author @ www.amazon.com/author/faroukasvat

_______________________________________________________
[] WIETIE WHAT-WHAT LIKE A TSOTSI  
& TUNE LIKE A DURBANITE  
& PRAAT NES 'N SKOLLIE  


HOE KO' EK BY DIE HEL?  
© Farouk Asvat  


Directions From Bra Biza in Josie  

     'Hey!  how to get to Fietas?'

"Vat a left by the corner
  Turn right
  Its on your left."


Directions From Couzie Broer In Durban  

     'Ek sê, how to get to the Hills, Couzie?'

"Broer, you'all sight that robot there?"
     'Ja ...'
"Well, that's none of your business.
 You'all just waai straight;
 When you'all come top-side an'all
 You'all sight a cornershop there
 You'all hit a left,
 Then you'all come to the stop sign
 - Well, don't worry about that -
 You'all just go straai-ght and straai-ght;
 When you'all sight the ocean
 You'all hit a right
 Then you'all just mo-tor and mo-tor
 Down hUmgeni Road.
 Therewa!
 Now you'all know
 How to get to Chatsworth an'all."


Directions From Ou Pank Innie Boo-Kaap  

     'Hey Pank, hoe kom ons by Die Parrara?'

"Djy wiet
  Djy gaan sooo reg af
  Daan draai djy links by die robot
  Daan draai djy wee' regs
  Daa' by die stop sign
  Daan draai djy wee' reg
  Tot in djou moer in."


© farouk asvat

* original composed: 01.02.1993 [Johannesburg, South Africa under apartheid].

Bra Frooks is ...
                    []  nes 'n skollie
                    []  'n egte skollie
                    []  'n tsotsi
                    []  a real scamp
                    []  streetwise
                    []  the jokerman

Bra Frooks ...
                    []  praat soos 'n skollie
                    []  wietie soos 'n joster
                    []  wietie soos 'n tsotsi
                    []  tunes like a durbanite
                    []  speaks like an englishman

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
the NOVEL Sadness In The House Of Love by Farouk Asvat
is now available on amazon: in paperback @ $15 & kindle @ only $5
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

#love #literature #fiction #novel #poetry #southafrica #apartheid #books #classics
#faroukasvat #weapons of words #comparative literature #literary criticism
#the wind still sings sad songs #directions to hell and beyond #hoe ko' ek by die hel