When I tire of life in the city, the hiking trail it calls me
When I tire of life in the city, the hiking trail it calls me
Out in the field, from the nearest thorn bush, I pick a walking stick
And I sing my hiking-song and I sing my hiking song
Or I listen to my own footfall, on the trail over mountain and dale
Or I listen to my own footfall, on the trail over mountain and dale
Then again I am the lonely hiker to the lovely landscape who-knows-where
A lifelong wanderer, a lifelong wanderer
And the blue veil that stretches over the field, will cover my slumber at night
And the blue veil that stretches over the field, will cover my slumber at night
And the starry host shall come and go, over the moonlit milky-way
And a friendly wink from a far and a friendly wink from a far
***
(The original Afrikaans folk song)
As ek moeg word vir die lewe in die stad, lok my die wandelpad
As ek moeg word vir die lewe in die stad, lok my die wandelpad
In die veld pluk ek ’n wandelstaf van die naaste doringboompie af
En sing my wandel-lied en sing my wandel-lied
Of ek luister na my eie voeteval, op pad oor berg en dal
Of ek luister na my eie voeteval, op pad oor berg en dal
Dan’s ek weer die eensaam wandellaar na die lekker landstreek wie-weet-waar
’n swerwer lewenslank ’n swerwer lewenslank
En die blou plafon wat oor die velde strek, sal saans my sluimer dek
En die blou plafon wat oor die velde strek, sal saans my sluimer dek
En die sterre heer sal kom en gaan, oor die maanverligte hemelbaan
En vriend’lik wink van vêr en vriend’lik wink van vêr
- Eitemal aka Wilhelm Jacobus du Plooy Erlank
30-day Poetry Challenge - 24 June 2014 - Today's challenge is to find a poem you love. Translate it in some way. It could be from its original language to English. It could be from one voice to another. It could be something contemporary that you rewrite to make it sound old or something old into modern English. Post the original poem.
