streetwise: 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.

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

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.

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

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

[] please check out my blogs @:

farouk asvat : poems

faroukasvat-poems.blogspot.com/

WEAPONS OF WORDS

faroukasvat-viewpoint.blogspot.com/

streetwise

faroukasvat-lingo.blogspot.com/

piquant publications: BOOKS by FAROUK ASVAT

piquantpublications.blogspot.com/

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