An original poem by: Quentin Horn
I am part Yugoslavian, part German,
I think a little French and definitely some Boer,
I am the springbok, the vlakvark,
I am even the guinea fowl and the hadeda
I am the coal train, thanks Bra Hugh,
I am the mine dumps, the windmill and the taxi home.
I am the forgotten tribe in the red sand,
I am the elephant at the water’s edge.
I am the mielieboer looking up at the sky,
I am the struggling family, trying to make ends meet.
I am the Gogo selling fruit to the tired feet,
I am the Dutch Reformed spire.
I am the Drommedaris and the cattle farmer.
I am the overloaded bakkie to Moria.
I am the shepherd wrapped in my blanket,
I am the suit in my German sedan.
I am eshibobo and druk ‘n drie,
I am shap shap, I am surf’s up,
I am a rikshaw where the water’s never cold.
I am the concrete owl under Sneeuberg.
I am the son of this land,
I am the lawyer, the freedom fighter.
I am the Father of fairness,
I am a boxer.
I am the Zulu, the Mlungu,
The high-kicking white boy, Johnny.
Johnny is nie dood nie,
Al lê die berge nog so blou.
I am Sir Herbert Baker,
The highest seat in the land.
I am Thomas Charles John Bain.
I am on an island called Fook.
I am the dorper, die skaapsteker.
I am the 26, 27 and the 28,
I am the number 1994,
I am 46664.
I am the sous tannie,
I am the koeksister,
I am the pens en pootjies,
I am the bunny chow.
I am the baobab, the king and the khakibos.
I am Pantsula, Sakkie Sakkie and Rieldans.
I am a painted wall, I am Esther,
I am the captain of a skuit called Breë Bors.
I am all of these things and more.
I am part of the problem.
I am part of the solution.
I am South African.
I am layers.
Featured image is the intellectual property of the artist, Quentin Horn.
