(i was tagged by tamoja, but to be honest, i have just done my own thing here. i hope your imagination does the rest) i was taught the original poem by my parents, in my first language. i vividly remember how they recited this time and again, usually upon my request and myself having the shivers and shakes from the agony and the ecstasy of fright and fear, the way only a child can. i loved it! of course (like it is with any original writing and its language) it is impossible to translate and reproduce those perfect rhyming words and their effect precisely. i google-translated this and was amused and impressed with the result. it is not one hundred words, i think, i'm just so pleased to record this afrikaans poem somewhere. (i have no idea who wrote it and it does not belong to me)

afrikaans poem:

as winterwinde buite waai

as takke swenk en takke swaai

en as die maan deur wolke loer

dan is dit tyd dat spoke roer

en dit het tammy goed geweet,

daarom tap die druppels sweet

haar voorkop en haar wange af

want... voor haar venster, le 'n graf

english version:

when winter winds lament beyond

when branches float and branches twist

and when the moon peeks through the clouds

then it's time for souls to shift

sweet tammy knew this very well

and that is why beads of sweat

drip from her forehead, from her cheeks -

below her window there's a grave, i bet...

seasofme090516