The talented South African poet, Don Beukes, translated some of my poetry into Afrikaans. Here is the third one.

Afhanlikheid* Dependence

Ek het die toringhoogtes van windgesweepte bome geklim,

elke tak `n skynbare onophoudelike lewe gely en beleef.

Het verkrummelende steil trappe geklim, smal, traprelingloos,

elke stap `n bemoedigende oorwinning

oor wat gestreef het of my neer te gegooi het.

Uitgeklim vanuit ‘n verskriklike put,

Uit die koue, stroopsoet taai kloue van die donkerte van veroordeling

en in die warm vrye omhelsing van genadiglike lig,

asof my lewe daarop afgehang het.

Want dit het…

Dependence

I've climbed the towering heights of wind whipped trees,

each branch a seemingly ceaseless life suffered and lived.

Climbed crumbling steep stairs, narrow, rail-less,

every lift a courageous victory

over what strived to drag or cast me down.

Climbed out of an abysmal pit,

out of the cold, cloying clutch of the dark of condemnation

and into the warm, free embrace of merciful light,

as if my life depended on it.

Because it did.

Original Poems by © Linda Imbler

Translated by © Don Beukes