Die Vreemdeling

It’s Thursday and guess what? It’s #Tandem time with Chevone, Shelley and I.

After a good break, we are back and looking forward to stretching our literary/creative muscles and sharing it with you. This time around we’ll be doing many of our posts in Afrikaans because we share an equal love of the language.

To my English only readers, I will try my best to translate my posts. To my readers who may have a much better command of Afrikaans than I do, please don’t hesitate to correct me on any grammar and/or spelling errors. Bearing in mind that I’ll be using some Engli-kaans as well.

Die Vreemdeling

Sy staar na die vrou met die vaal oë, omring met donker kringe. Die vrou lyk leweloos. Amper soos iemand wat lank laas ‘n ordentlike nagrus gehad het.

Is sy siek? Of is dit ‘n tekort aan slaap?

Die lyntjies by haar oë is bewys dat sy eens op ‘n tyd baie gelag het. Sy wonder wat het van haar sprankel geword?

Haar klere hang soos sakke om haar lyf en sy lyk troebel. Het sy gewig verloor?

Gee sy nie om hoe sy lyk nie?

Self haar hare lyk ‘n bietjie woes. Het hierdie vrou geen trots? ‘n Vrou se hare is haar kroon…

Wie is hierdie vreemdeling wat haar terug kyk in die spieël?

“Ek wil weer voel. Ek wil hê hierdie hartseer en pyn moet verdwyn. Ek gee om hoe ek lyk en ek wil weer mens wees.” sê ek vir die vrou in die spieël. Ek wil dit eintlik vir haar skreeu. Wie is sy om my te beoordeel? “Ek is gereed maar ook nie. Waar begin ek? En hoe? Ek is tans die vreemdeling in my eie lewe.”

The Stranger (English version)

She stares at the woman with the dull eyes surrounded by dark circles. The woman looks lifeless. Almost like someone who hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep in ages.

Is she sick or is it a lack of sleep?

The crows feet at the corners of her eyes indicates that she once laughed a lot. She wonders what happened to the sparkle?

Her clothes are ill fitting and she looks shabby. Could this be because she lost weight?

Does this woman not care what she looks like?

Her hair is a mess. Has she no pride? A woman’s hair is her crown…

Who is this woman staring back at me from the mirror?

“I want to feel again. I want out of this slump I find myself in. For the pain to go away. I do care what I look like and I want to be more human again.” I tell the woman in the mirror. I want to shout at her. Who is she to judge me? “I’m ready but also not. Where do I begin? And how? I am the stranger in my own life right now.”

This was part of our weekly Tandem blog where 3 bloggers unite and give you their POV of 1 title. Join us every Thursday at 13h00 for our different takes.

For Shelley’s version, click: https://thedealis.wordpress.com

For Chevone” version, click: https://chevslife.com