| Drie Diere [boodskap #111080] |
Sa, 09 September 2006 09:29  |
Moira de Swardt
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Volle Lid |
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It is the centenary year of the birth of N P van Wyk Louw. The
University of Johannesburg, formerly Rand Afrikaans University, is
hosting a celebration of this event during September, a series of
three productions to coincide with the annual Memorial Lecture,
which is on 14 September this year.
The three programmes are a ballet programme featuring "Drie Diere",
an opera programme featuring "Klipwerk" en "Berei in the Woestyn"
and a choral programme "Ballades".
I attended the first of these three programmes this week, namely the
Mixed Bill which ended on the "Drie Diere" finale. Choreographed by
Veronica Paeper to music by Peter Klatzow, this is a sophisticated
neo-classical work. A man looks in a mirror (set by Peter Cazalet)
and sees three images of war, The Bull, The Sphinx and an Eagle.
Exquisitely danced by Michael Revie, Joel Morris, Admill Kuyler,
Angela Malan and Andries Weidemann (although for the life of me I
can't remember the Assyrian Bull), this can be seen later in the
month at The Civic Theatre as one of the works in "Triple Bill".
The programme contains the works by N P van Wyk Louw on which "Drie
Diere" is based. I post them here for the interest of people who
can't make it to Johannesburg and would like to see the poems
without investing in the research to access them. (Yes, it is in D J
Opperman's "Groot Verseboek".)
I. Kamer van Spieëls
Na die skipbreuk van alle sekerheid
in hierdie bitter jare het ek gelê, verstil,
tussen swart spieëls wat die kamer nagtelik wyd
laat glim het, vlak aan dun vlak, rondom die spil
van my grys bed, en ek was radeloos gedink
oor al die pyn en die mens se wrede spel.
Toe 't 'n skriklike vermoede uit die blink
duister en uit die grou spieëls gewel:
en telkens het 'n skemerwand gegloei
met lig wat geen afskynsel was van aardse
lig, maar kort en bleek in die dieptes bloei
van die glas self; en in die nederwaartse
stort van al my dink en gans ontdaan
het ek in die glans 'n groot dier sien staan.
II. Sfinks
In die opgloei van die eerste spieël was swaar
en rustig 'n groot ding - geel soos die sand
of soos 'n leeu, en naamloos in die skaar
van die snel diere - wat uitkyk oor die rand
van die gewelfde aarde, oor wit stede en mense
sonder tal. Maar oor sy gladde oë waai
die beelde van ver dinge wat sonder grense
is: wolk-skadu's, môre-seë en brand wat laai
agter 'n swart planeet. Hy heers, en hoor
gebede en klagte nie; en ken geen pyn
of trots of vrees van sterflikheid - verloor
in 'n dooi Godsdroom wat elke ding verklein;
en die wind van duisend jaar het oor die poot
se magtige nael 'n smal duin opgestoot.
III Assiriese Bul
Trots en wellustig was die tweede ding
in die bleek glans van die glas: 'n gevlekte bul;
met swaar geplooide nek snuiwe hy in die kring
van die droë winde wat die groot neusgate vul
met die reuk van wat nie dood is; hy lig sy ronde
muil en brul; en hy breeek deur die skerp dorings
en gaffel rond tussen die herders en hul honde
met die swaai van die blink halfmane van sy horings
tot hy alleen-staan. So was sy heerskappy:
'n heerskappy van die swart hoewe en die dood;
en waar hy aan die gras bloedvlekke kry,
het hy die stengels rondom met sy poot
gegraaf, en die klam neus in die sand tussen die struike
gesteek om sag-bulkend die ou bloed to ruik.
IV Arend
In die derde wand het 'k gesien 'n bont en skraal
arend, waaksaam, met geel oë, op sy klip
hoog teen 'n krans; taai nek; die dun kop kaal
onder die son; en hy roer met elke stip
wat onder in die vlakte roer: snel
om te val; vol staar en vol geduld; -
en stil, so stil op die vlot van vleuels wat swel
van die ligste wind bo 'n land met dood vervuld.
Sonder gedagte was die smal wrede kop -
en van die goue ane flikkerlose oog
deur die maer nek bo die lang vlerk se knop
tot in die klou was alles soos 'n boog
gespan; alleen en ver hou hy sy fees,
en waar hy ver is, heers sy wye vrees.
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| Re: Drie Diere [boodskap #111084 is 'n antwoord op boodskap #111080] |
So, 10 September 2006 13:53  |
bouer
Boodskappe: 4803
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Senior Lid |
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Moira de Swardt wrote:
> It is the centenary year of the birth of N P van Wyk Louw.
NP van Wyk Louw died on 17 June, 1970 alone in his
room ( with his wife and son sleeping in nearby rooms)
probably of a heart attack. They said they heard a noise
in the middle of the night, but did not go to him, because
they did not want to disturb him. He was cremated, but
they postponed taking possession of his ashes until it
was too late, and the ashes had already been disposed
of. So NP does not have "a last resting place." Is there
any kind of memorial for NP in South Africa?
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| Re: Drie Diere [boodskap #111085 is 'n antwoord op boodskap #111084] |
So, 10 September 2006 13:58 |
Peter H.M. Brooks
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Geregistreer: Mei 2006
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Junior Lid |
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Hessie wrote:
> Moira de Swardt wrote:
>
>> It is the centenary year of the birth of N P van Wyk Louw.
>
> NP van Wyk Louw died on 17 June, 1970 alone in his
> room ( with his wife and son sleeping in nearby rooms)
> probably of a heart attack. They said they heard a noise
> in the middle of the night, but did not go to him, because
> they did not want to disturb him. He was cremated, but
> they postponed taking possession of his ashes until it
> was too late, and the ashes had already been disposed
> of. So NP does not have "a last resting place." Is there
> any kind of memorial for NP in South Africa?
>
Surely the room where he died was, and is, his last resting place? Ashes
don't rest, they blow away or get soggy.
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| Re: Drie Diere [boodskap #111086 is 'n antwoord op boodskap #111084] |
So, 10 September 2006 14:16 |
Skyblue
Boodskappe: 4
Geregistreer: Julie 2006
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Junior Lid |
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On 10 Sep 2006 06:53:55 -0700, "Hessie" wrote:
< Is there any kind of memorial for NP in South Africa?
Nie wat ek van weet nie, behalwe gedenklesings en so meer.
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