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Dat dit ek is

Fotograaf: Hanna Jacobs



As deel van ons huwelikseremonie op die 6de Desember, het ons die volgende liefdesverklarings aan mekaar voorgelees:

Matilda:

My George

Dat dit ek is
wat op 'n dag verdwaal het -
so het ek gedink-
en voor 'n deur beland het
wat net so effens oopgestaan het.
Dat ek met die oopstoot daarvan
myself bevind het in die kamers van jou siel.

Daar waar kosbaarhede oor baie jare
versamel is, bewaar is, waardeer is.

Dat dit ek is
wat kon blaai deur jou woorde;
kon warmte vind onder die klank van jou stem;
kon drink van jou wysheid.

Dat dit ek is wat kon tuiskom in jou liefde.

En vandag,
waar ons hier staan
met ons voete op die grond
van hierdie nuwe, ou-ou plek
wil ek dit alles vir jou wees:
veiligheid,
inspirasie,
warmte,
wysheid,
liefde.

As jou lewensmaat en anam cara wil ek nou saam met jou uitloop-
ons siele wyd-oop na die lewe en die wêreld;
wil ek saam met jou tot seën wees vir hierdie aarde.

My George,
ek het jou lief.
Dit sal altyd so wees.
En die wonder sal bly:
Dat dit ek is.


George:

My M, 

Soms, vroegoggend,
klink die treurige veraf roep
van die Swart Koekoek*
daar van die rivier se kant af op.
Hoor jy op ‘n dag die wyfie raas
kan jy verstaan
waarom hy
aanhoudend sê
dat hy so sad is.

Wanneer ek by jou is
voel ek nie
om soos die Swart Koekoek te roep nie.

My liefde vir jou
is ‘n Swartkop Wielewaal*-liefde.
Met note
wat soos helder druppels
in ‘n skoon poel val
wil ek verkondig
dat doodgewone werfdae
besondere geleenthede
en ronde stiltes
in sagte goudgeel vere toegedraai is.

Daar waar ek op my tak sit
en my note laat rol
sal ek nie omgee
as iemand nader staan
om die plek van die klank te sien nie.
Ek sal vrypostig sing
asof dit die natuurlikste ding
in die wêreld is.
En dit is.

Want in die nes waar ek bly
is jy.


* Roep van: - Swart Koekoek
                    - Swartkop Wielewaal






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