~ English translation at the bottom ~
ek soek daai element
dit is nie klip
dit is nie water
dit is nie lug
dit is nie aarde
dit is nie vuur
dit is nie mineraal
dit is nie plant
dit is nie metaal
dit vloei nie
dit lê nie
dit groei nie
dit brand nie
tog is dit daar
ek soek daai element
daai iets wat die donker woud op
‘n windlose volmaan-nag
so perfek aanmekaar hou
daar waarin die insekte en voëls
die oorlewing-sparteling vir
‘n wyle
laat vaar
en
net
stil
word
dit lyk asof al die ander elemente
leef vir hierdie een element
die element wat eenvoudig net hang
dik en ryk
ja dit is ‘n hang-gevoel
so ‘n lywige sensasie in
die neusgate
wat die asemteug eindeloos laat strek
tot in die einder van die longe
hierdie element is waaragtig ‘n noodsaaklikheid
dit is die gom tussen
organika en habitat
daai iets tussen die kriek en die stilte
dit is die heenkome vir verdwaling
dit is die lig wat bly hang in die oog
al het die donker gedaal
en die ooglede toegeval
mens vang nie hierdie element vas nie
dit sal jou ontwyk as jy ander kant toe kyk
en tog, as dit eers aan jou verhemelte gelek het
het dit jou siel verewig gemerk
dit is die element wat die oer-oorsaak is
van rusteloosheid
jy wil dit vashou
jy wil dit vasklou
jy blameer dit – regverdiglik – vir jou geluk
jou binnenste weet dat
dit ook die wortel is
van
ongeëwenaarde saligheid en
jou hele lewe lank
sal jy daarna bly honger
between the cricket and the silence
i am searching for that element
it is not stone
it is not water
it is not air
it is not earth
it is not fire
it is not mineral
it is not plant
it is not metal
it does not flow
it does not lie down
it does not grow
it does not burn
yet it is there
i am searching for that element
that something that holds together
the dark forest on
a windless full-moon-night
there wherein the insects and birds
let go of
the survival-bustle for
a while
and
become
silent
it seems that all the other elements
live for this one element
the element that simply hangs
thick and rich
in
the
air
yes it is a hanging feeling
such a full-bodied sensation in the nostrils
that endlessly stretches the breath
to the furthest ends of the lungs
this element is veraciously a necessity
it is the glue between
organica and habitat
that something between the cricket and silence
it is the sanctuary for lostness
it is light that stays hanging in the eye
long after the darkness has descended
and the eyelids have closed
one does not capture this element
it will elude you if you look the other way
and yet once you have stood in it and
felt it licking on your palate
it has marked your soul forever
it is the element that is the root cause
of restlessness
you want to hold and cling onto it
you blame it – rightfully – for your happiness
yet your innards know that
it is also the source
of
unequaled beatitude and
your whole life
you will
hunger for it