Die wê̂ reld het so klein geword – Alta Marincowitz
Toe my ouma 'n kind was, speel hulle op die wye vlakte
deel granate in die boord,
lees boeke in hulle soeke na kennis
en klets met maats as die foun twee
kortes en drie langes lui.
As kind bly my ma op 'n ruim erf
met 'n grasperk en twee bome,
sit sy vasgenael voor die kassie -
vol drome om eendag oor die we wereld te swerf.
Sy ken mense wat al oorsee was!
Haar niggies in die stad gaan naweke fliek
en voor matriek sien sy hoe die eerste selfone lyk.
Ek klik met 'n muis die wê̂ reld tot in my huis,
die web is my werf en Gumtree my boom.
Ek is deel van 'n boek waar mense hul gesigte
gedeeltelik ontsluier en klankloos klets en kuier.
Ek kan kennis onmiddellik op aanvraag verkry
en met 'n ieder en elk in verbinding bly.
Die moontlikhede is duiselingwekkend
GROOT en die wê̂ reld het so
klein geword dit pas in die
twaalf vierkante
meter van my
kamer
in.
, Die wê̂ reld het so klein - The title means the world feels smaller now because
technology lets us connect and explore from home.
geword
- The figure of speech is hyperbole, exaggerating how small the
world seems.
The world has become so small
Toe my ouma 'n kind was, - This line reflects a nostalgic and historical perspective,
contrasting the past with the present.
speel hulle op die wye
- It situates the grandmother in her childhood, evoking a sense
vlakte of freedom and openness through the imagery of playing on a
“wide plain.”
- The phrase emphasizes a physical and metaphorical space
that was expansive and unconfined, suggesting simplicity,
natural surroundings, and a life less mediated by technology.
- It also sets up a generational comparison, highlighting how
When my grandmother was a experiences of childhood have changed over time, preparing
the reader to contrast this freedom with the more restricted,
child, they played on the wide
digitally mediated world of the speaker.
plains
In this context, it evokes a sense of communal, simple, and
deel granate in die boord, -
grounded life in the past, highlighting the tactile and sensory
experiences of the speaker’s grandmother’s childhood.
The act of sharing fruit suggests a close-knit community and
-
a slower, more connected way of living, in contrast to the
speaker’s own digitally mediated world.
The line situates the grandmother’s life firmly in a physical
sharing pomegranates in the - and social reality, which contrasts with the virtual immediacy
orchard, of the modern era.
The line highlights the theme of learning and curiosity across
lees boeke in hulle soeke - generations.
It portrays reading as an active pursuit, emphasizing that the
na kennis
- characters engage with books deliberately to expand their
understanding of the world.
The phrase suggests a respect for knowledge as something
- sought after, not passively received, and contrasts with the
modern speaker’s instant access to information through
technology.
It reflects a slower, more deliberate way of engaging with the
- world, underscoring the difference between past and present
approaches to learning while honoring the enduring human
reading books in their search
desire to grow intellectually..
for knowledge
Toe my ouma 'n kind was, speel hulle op die wye vlakte
deel granate in die boord,
lees boeke in hulle soeke na kennis
en klets met maats as die foun twee
kortes en drie langes lui.
As kind bly my ma op 'n ruim erf
met 'n grasperk en twee bome,
sit sy vasgenael voor die kassie -
vol drome om eendag oor die we wereld te swerf.
Sy ken mense wat al oorsee was!
Haar niggies in die stad gaan naweke fliek
en voor matriek sien sy hoe die eerste selfone lyk.
Ek klik met 'n muis die wê̂ reld tot in my huis,
die web is my werf en Gumtree my boom.
Ek is deel van 'n boek waar mense hul gesigte
gedeeltelik ontsluier en klankloos klets en kuier.
Ek kan kennis onmiddellik op aanvraag verkry
en met 'n ieder en elk in verbinding bly.
Die moontlikhede is duiselingwekkend
GROOT en die wê̂ reld het so
klein geword dit pas in die
twaalf vierkante
meter van my
kamer
in.
, Die wê̂ reld het so klein - The title means the world feels smaller now because
technology lets us connect and explore from home.
geword
- The figure of speech is hyperbole, exaggerating how small the
world seems.
The world has become so small
Toe my ouma 'n kind was, - This line reflects a nostalgic and historical perspective,
contrasting the past with the present.
speel hulle op die wye
- It situates the grandmother in her childhood, evoking a sense
vlakte of freedom and openness through the imagery of playing on a
“wide plain.”
- The phrase emphasizes a physical and metaphorical space
that was expansive and unconfined, suggesting simplicity,
natural surroundings, and a life less mediated by technology.
- It also sets up a generational comparison, highlighting how
When my grandmother was a experiences of childhood have changed over time, preparing
the reader to contrast this freedom with the more restricted,
child, they played on the wide
digitally mediated world of the speaker.
plains
In this context, it evokes a sense of communal, simple, and
deel granate in die boord, -
grounded life in the past, highlighting the tactile and sensory
experiences of the speaker’s grandmother’s childhood.
The act of sharing fruit suggests a close-knit community and
-
a slower, more connected way of living, in contrast to the
speaker’s own digitally mediated world.
The line situates the grandmother’s life firmly in a physical
sharing pomegranates in the - and social reality, which contrasts with the virtual immediacy
orchard, of the modern era.
The line highlights the theme of learning and curiosity across
lees boeke in hulle soeke - generations.
It portrays reading as an active pursuit, emphasizing that the
na kennis
- characters engage with books deliberately to expand their
understanding of the world.
The phrase suggests a respect for knowledge as something
- sought after, not passively received, and contrasts with the
modern speaker’s instant access to information through
technology.
It reflects a slower, more deliberate way of engaging with the
- world, underscoring the difference between past and present
approaches to learning while honoring the enduring human
reading books in their search
desire to grow intellectually..
for knowledge
