Hot and humid Gwangju nights,
the cliched summer love in June
Kissing you 'neath starry skies
witnessed only by the moon.
Together lying naked
We told each other truths.
Painted with forbidden love
and by it, we were soothed.
In the dusky dawn we traded muses
'With all my love': Go to Hell.
In Afrikaans you won my heart
O! Ne'r was I known so well.
Love and guilt don't dance together.
Full hearts made heavy at the end,
and someday this will all feel better
but never will it mend.
And though I cry sometimes at night
to mourn a thing that's past
ninety days of loving you
gave me so much that will last.
I loved you, Red, be sure
And probably always will
Yours is a wine of imcomporable taste
I could never drink my fill.
In quiet moments I'd watch your face
Until shyly you asked "What?"
In truth, I tried to soak you in
So you'd never be forgot.
Who knows what the future holds?
But, know this to be true
I was never more myself
than when I was loving you.
So goodbye to you, Ivana
My feisty, buxom Red
And what better way to bid adieu
Then with the very words you said?
jy is die mooiste mens wat ek ken.
Ek gaan jou mis
Ek is lief vir jou
Author notes
For two weeks I knew the love of a beautiful, sweet woman. It was never going to last - but Christ, it was good while it lasted. She asked me to write her something she could keep. This is what I came up with.
The lines of Afrikaans translate into something like: You are the most beautiful person. I will miss you. She said this to me when she broke it off.
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 21 of 21
-
ek is lief vir jou. i love you.
It's the only thing in afrikaans I can actually say, although I can write a couple of other phrases
(my boyfriend is from south africa, by means of an explanation)
this was so beautiful,
'I was never more myself
than when I was loving you.'
and those lines are perfect, I think those are words I've been searching for and could never have put them quite like that.
hope you have a nice day
♥
-
-
The rest is 'You are the most beautiful person' and 'I will miss you'
-
-
I know
I saw it in your authors notes...thats why I translated ek is lief vir jou because it wasn't there
hope you're having a nice day
♥
-
-
-
I knew Afrikaans is such a beautiful language...It always remind me of a friend here in AP...with her username... Nicolette
Eventhough it lasted shortly...when it comes to love it was sufficed...because in love...there is no black and white.
and she deserves this write...it's something to cherish.
-
-
You actually prompted me to do a small edit. We actually dated again after this was written, and though a lot happened and it ended worse again - this is a poem I'll never regret writing. :-)
-
-
Glad that I did. Maybe it may have gotten worse...and I think it's not about writing something for her anymore. It just shows how you valued your relationship and much more how you valued her. It's all worth it...On her part, I think.
-
-
I'm a romantic at heart, haha. The edits were minor (added an extra phrase of Afrikaans at the conclusion and changed 15 from 90).
-
-
Does "Ek gaan jou mis" means I miss you? I think so
you don't have to answer. I'm taking too much of your time. Thank you for your msgs. It's nice to learn a li'l Afrikaan 
-
-
"You are the most beautiful person. I will miss you" is the first two portions, and 'I love you' is the last.
-
-
-
-
-
-
And yet, my stuff always looks pathetic compared to yours Oh well, I could complain on your slight lack of metre too, but I won't, because I know in the whole it always has a way of working out! You'll bounce back, like you always do, but I'm still gonna say it. Stop getting yourself into trouble! It makes for beautiful poetry, but not so beautiful feelings. You know I luv you.
-
-
I don't get into trouble that often. Five years between heart-breaks isn't so bad :-p
-
-
Oh man, Chris. I can't tell you enough how sorry I am for things that happened between you two. This is such a beutiful poem, and so well-written. This poem represent almost every feeling that a girl wants from the guy she loves. Hopefully everything works out for you guys, because your love is so pure. I love these two lines "I was never more myself
than when I was loving you." *hugs*
-
-
Those two lines (I was never more myself than when I was loving you) was where it started. It really is true. I never realized, until I spent some quiet moments with her, that I'd always had this front up. It had become second nature. Lying naked next to her, seeing one another for what we were, I realized the person I am from day to day is a collection of lies and acts I put up.
I owe her for showing me that the real me can be loved, without any of the facades I put up.
-
-
Dear Chris,
I'm pleased to read you found someone to love.
If it's meant to be that you will meet again, it will happen. If not you have wonderful memories to remember and when it's your first true love you never forget them.
It's great to see you back though Chris and I hope to read more poems or stories from you.
Love Joan
-
Very well written
I thought this poem was really well written and heartfelt. I loved the line
Yours is a wine of imcomporable taste
I could never drink my fill
I think just about everyone can read this and remember their first summer or holiday romance!
Really great vocab and a lovely write! well done!
-
very touching write.
long distant relationships are sometimes hard. i feel she broke it off so that there would be no hurt for anyone. But deep down everyone had been hurt.
-
-
That's what happened, really. She couldn't bring herself to dump the long term boy over the phone, and couldn't ask that I wait for her to be ready - so she broke it off, and now all three of us are heart-broken :-p
-
-
This is an incredible poem. Most people have a lost love. I hope your memories of her remain strong and provide seasoning for future loves.
The most incredible lines of the poem are:
In quiet moments I'd watch your face
Until shyly you asked "What?"
In truth, I tried to soak you in
So you'd never be forgot.
Thank you for sharing this.
Mike
-
-
You know, funnily enough, that was an afterthought. It was something she said a lot when we were together, and I'd always just answer 'you' and she'd screw up her nose in puzzlement or to mock the cheesy sentiment. But, in truth, I can't think of any better reason. I just wish I'd done a better job of remembering every detail :-p
-
-
Ah yes, the wonderful feeling of infatuation broken off before the couple really got to know each other. You have captured this so well here because of the way you have written the poem. there is joy and energy and beauty there, written in a generic way.
I'm glad that you wrote this poem for your quick romantic partner. I'm sure they appreciate it. Lovely!
Do you think you'll meet again?
Best wishes,
myron. -
-
It seems unlikely. We're both teaching abroad. She's from one continent and I'm from another. I won't say it can never happen - since, had somebody told me I'd meet her when I was five, I'd ask how an Australian guy was supposed to meet a South African girl when he never intended to get on a plane.
We shall see what fate has in mind, I guess.
-
Adding your comment:
1 - 21 of 21
