“These challenging times” nearly got me down, but rhymes like this one picked me up again.
The full text in Afrikaans:
Oor die rand van uitgebrand
Ek spartel rond
In my eie wond
En terwyl ek in infeksie swem
Wonder ek waarvoor is ek dan bestem?
Veraf hoor ek ’n hond blaf
En vaagweg wonder ek wanneer hulle maskers gaan afskaf …?
Maar, ag, dis sommer laf –
Wie sal laat los wat soveel mag verskaf?
Só sak ek dieper in die donker af en af
Tot net duskant die graf …
Skielik gly daar ’n rympie by my verby.
Sal ek hom betyds raakgevat kry?
Ek volg hom op en op
Tot my kop
Bo die oppervlak uitpop!
Rympies word my antidepressant
Vat my aan die hand
En lei my terug oor die rand van uitgebrand.
Where I am going with this blog from here.
Since the beginning of this year I had been recovering from burn-out from the work and personal overwhelm of 2020-2021. In the depths of my despair I began to make rhymes. They are my antidepressants and I share them here. They are also a form of advocacy and resistance.
The plan is to post one every weekend – but as soon as this becomes too much like work, I will stop.
I want them to offer joy, giggles, sniffles and reflection.
Thanks to my sister Monica Bosman who is my soundboard and my language editor Find her here.
To my Husband Gerhi who does the doodles. Find him at www.gerhi.com
And my son who edits and posts my videos.
Yip, it is a family affair…