Kinders van die wind – Koos du Plessis
1. Ek ken ‘n ou, ou liedjie 1. I know an old, old song
2. van lewenswel en -weë; 2. of the happy and sad times in
life;
3. van lank vergane skepe in 3. of ships that are long gone
4. in die kelders van die see. 4. lying at the bottom of the ocean.
5. Die woorde is vergete 5. The words are forgotten
6. en tog, die deuntjie draal - 6. and yet the melody lingers -
7. soos vaag onthoude grepies uit 7. like vaguely memorable parts
from
8. ‘n baie ou verhaal ... 8. a very old story ...
9. Van swerwers sonder rigting 9. Of wanderers without direction;
10. van soekers wat nooit vind 10. of seekers who never find ...
11. En eindelik was almal maar 11. And eventually everyone was just
12. kinders van die wind. 12. children of the wind.
13. Gesigte, drome, name 13. Faces, dreams, names
14. is deur die wind verwaai; 14. are blown away by the wind;
15. en waarheen ál die woorde is, 15. and where all the words have
gone,
16. sou net ‘n kind wou raai. 16. only a child would guess.
17. Swerwers sonder rigting; 17. Wanderers without direction;
18. soekers wat nooit vind ... 18. seekers who never find ...
19. En eindelik is almal maar 19. And eventually everyone was just
20. kinders van die wind. 20. children of the wind.
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION
1
OF ANY KIND ALLOWED
, Analysis of the poem
1. Ek ken ‘n ou, ou liedjie
“Ek” = first person narrator
(eerstepersoonsverteller), making the
poem more personal.
“ou” is repeated (herhaal) to
emphasize (beklemtoon) the fact that
it is not a new song.
2. van lewenswel en -weë;
The w-alliteration and e-
assonance (assonansie) contribute (dra
by) to the melodic (melodiese) and
lyrical (liriese) feel (gevoel) of the
poem.
The “-” indicates (dui aan) that a
word is ommitted (weggelaat) as it
was supposed to read “lewenswel en
lewensweë”, but this was done in order
not to break (verbreek) the rhythm
(ritme) of the poem.
3. van lank vergane skepe in
The song speaks of ships that sunk
a long time ago. The a-assonance
(assonansie) serves to slow down
(verstadig) the tempo which links
(verbind) to the idea of it all happening a
long time ago (lank gelede) and this
echoes (eggo) the notion set forth in
line 1 already with “ou, ou”.
4. in die kelders van die see.
This is a metaphor (metafoor):
the “kelders” refers to what is at the
bottom (bodem) of the ocean.
5. Die woorde is vergete
6. en tog, die deuntjie draal -
The d-alliteration (alliterasie)
emphasizes the lingering feel of the
supposed (veronderstelde) song
(liedjie).
7. soos vaag onthoude grepies uit
This is a simile (vergelyking)
where the song is compared to (word
vergelyk) vaguely (vaag) memorable
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION
2
OF ANY KIND ALLOWED
1. Ek ken ‘n ou, ou liedjie 1. I know an old, old song
2. van lewenswel en -weë; 2. of the happy and sad times in
life;
3. van lank vergane skepe in 3. of ships that are long gone
4. in die kelders van die see. 4. lying at the bottom of the ocean.
5. Die woorde is vergete 5. The words are forgotten
6. en tog, die deuntjie draal - 6. and yet the melody lingers -
7. soos vaag onthoude grepies uit 7. like vaguely memorable parts
from
8. ‘n baie ou verhaal ... 8. a very old story ...
9. Van swerwers sonder rigting 9. Of wanderers without direction;
10. van soekers wat nooit vind 10. of seekers who never find ...
11. En eindelik was almal maar 11. And eventually everyone was just
12. kinders van die wind. 12. children of the wind.
13. Gesigte, drome, name 13. Faces, dreams, names
14. is deur die wind verwaai; 14. are blown away by the wind;
15. en waarheen ál die woorde is, 15. and where all the words have
gone,
16. sou net ‘n kind wou raai. 16. only a child would guess.
17. Swerwers sonder rigting; 17. Wanderers without direction;
18. soekers wat nooit vind ... 18. seekers who never find ...
19. En eindelik is almal maar 19. And eventually everyone was just
20. kinders van die wind. 20. children of the wind.
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION
1
OF ANY KIND ALLOWED
, Analysis of the poem
1. Ek ken ‘n ou, ou liedjie
“Ek” = first person narrator
(eerstepersoonsverteller), making the
poem more personal.
“ou” is repeated (herhaal) to
emphasize (beklemtoon) the fact that
it is not a new song.
2. van lewenswel en -weë;
The w-alliteration and e-
assonance (assonansie) contribute (dra
by) to the melodic (melodiese) and
lyrical (liriese) feel (gevoel) of the
poem.
The “-” indicates (dui aan) that a
word is ommitted (weggelaat) as it
was supposed to read “lewenswel en
lewensweë”, but this was done in order
not to break (verbreek) the rhythm
(ritme) of the poem.
3. van lank vergane skepe in
The song speaks of ships that sunk
a long time ago. The a-assonance
(assonansie) serves to slow down
(verstadig) the tempo which links
(verbind) to the idea of it all happening a
long time ago (lank gelede) and this
echoes (eggo) the notion set forth in
line 1 already with “ou, ou”.
4. in die kelders van die see.
This is a metaphor (metafoor):
the “kelders” refers to what is at the
bottom (bodem) of the ocean.
5. Die woorde is vergete
6. en tog, die deuntjie draal -
The d-alliteration (alliterasie)
emphasizes the lingering feel of the
supposed (veronderstelde) song
(liedjie).
7. soos vaag onthoude grepies uit
This is a simile (vergelyking)
where the song is compared to (word
vergelyk) vaguely (vaag) memorable
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION
2
OF ANY KIND ALLOWED
