About 30 years ago, shortly after leaving South Africa for Australasia, I wrote a poem titled Homelands. In it, I explored my simultaneous sense of belonging to Africa and estrangement from it because of my Jewishness. I reflected, too, on how deeply I had come to feel part of this southern continent while remaining strongly connected to Australia and to the land of my ancestors, Israel. Here is an excerpt:
But it burns, Africa burns:
this is the flame of some
sharp Karoo night,
this is the ember of a
star-sated sky.
This coal bears my imprint,
yet it is not mine,
for I am the bastard son
of this cunning continent.
I carry my father’s burden
(still heavy with the terror of a
cold Lithuanian…
Wildlife Reserves: South Africa has numerous wildlife reserves and national parks,
offering opportunities for wildlife viewing and conservation.
Bloodeater
Bitter koud — very cold. An Afrikaans phrase meaning ‘bitter cold’, often used to describe the cold weather during winter.Example: “Oh, my gosh! It’s bitter koud outside!”
Emerald Goddess
The E in South Africa stands for electricity