V

2004

poetry

letters to a friend

Writing is a passion that's been with me since I was a child. Ironically, I've never been much of a reader, but always poured a lot of energy into writing letters. As the internet and e-mail made it's way into our lives, I was fortunate enough to connect with someone who loved reading my words, and a long relationship of exchanging daily letters, poems, and thoughts began. The following is the beginning of a collection of poems that have sprung out of that experience. I've been in a process of gathering and editing and re-writing and re-jecting a sizeable collection, in the hope of trimming it down to an essential worthy set.

July 19, 2011

rekenaar
---------

ek stap my kamer in
my vingers brand met woord
wat wil sê en praat en prikkel

kragprop in, skakelaar aan
knoppie druk, en sy antwoord
met fluister en kraak en vinnig draai

ek sit stil en kyk
hoe sy dink en organiseer
en alles weer van vooraf leer

tot sy wakker is, en wag
en met verbeelde glimlag sê
'begin maar met jou gedagtes'

energie dryf tussen haar en my
asof ons mekaar probeer verly
ek wil groot en breed en diep wegkry

maar sy praat min
vat alles in
om weer te onthou vir môre

ek stuur my woorde deur
op data lyn, of A-vier papier
- of hulle bly net hier

'n eiland op ons eie
met flesse van emosies
wat soms, met kurk, in water val

en wegdryf na 'n ander wal

katty vandenberghe, 03 August 2002

NOTES...

This poem is one of the early ones as an appropriate intro. Sometimes my love of Afrikaans comes through, although I seldom get to speak it.