Although Afrikaans is not my home language, this beautiful poem by Breyten Breytenbach had been written in such a direct way, and has so much of an instant appeal on its first reading, that I found a musical realization coming quite naturally. When conceiving music for this unique instrumentation, I was inspired by Shostakovitch's marvelous work Seven Romances on Verses by Alexander Blok. |
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slaap klein beminde
slaap soet slaap swart nat soos suiker in koffie wees bly in jou drome blaas op fluite koop `n groot huis eet die oudste pere - hulle wat soet word in grysheid - slaap soeter as pere weg die dreigemente weg die basterwind die bolletjies reën die plunderson weg honger en hofsake weg gebrek aan geld weg alle kanker en tandpyn of narkose en blinde honde weg die hele idiotedom behalwe jy en as jy so wil asseblief ook ek ek sal waak oor jou drome ek spyker die vlieë teen die muur ek wag gewapend vir die son en die wind en die reën as jy lag sal ek lag en as jy huil klein beminde …. moenie huil nie kyk ek koop vir jou `n hoed en vars brood so swart, nuwe oë en `n koets soos pere in kiste en musiek vir jou ure en krukke vir jou klagtes en as jy wil Amerika en die maan ek sny my mooi land vir jou vry, maar dis vir môre, mañana slaap nou eers beminde slaap vinnig, slaap ver slaap soeter as nagte en hoër, ligter, liefder vryer, ewiger en blyer as `n veer |
sleep little beloved
sleep sweetly sleep darkly wet like sugar in coffee be happy in your dreams blow on flutes buy a big house eat the oldest pears - those that get sweet with age - sleep sweeter than pears away with the threats away with the bastard wind the little balls of rain the plundering sun away with hunger and court-cases away with the lack of money away with all cancer and tooth-ache or anaesthetic and blind dogs away with the whole idiot realm except you and if you so wish me too please I will watch over your dreams I nail the flies to the wall I wait armed for the sun and the wind and the rain when you laugh I will laugh and when you cry little beloved … don't cry look I will buy you a hat and fresh bread so black, new eyes and a carriage like pears in coffins and music for your hours and crutches for your complaints and if you wish America and the moon I will cut free my beautiful land for you, but that's for tomorrow, mañana first sleep now beloved sleep quickly, sleep deeply sleep sweeter than nights and higher, lighter, more in love freer, more eternal and happier than a feather |
