Chris van der Westhuizen

Werk verloor.
Ek versmoor,
my bors trek toe van angs.

Waar nou?
Hoe nou?
Wat nou?

My vrou is swanger.
Nee, ek sal nie kan-
sal haar nie kan vertel...

...Netnou ly die lewetjie,
twaalf weke oud in haar,
skade vanweë Ma se angs.

Ek sal werk moet soek,
so dringend as ek kan.

Hopelik sal God
deure laat oopgaan...
Ek bid.

Werk verloor.
Ek versmoor,
my bors trek toe van angs.

                              Chris M. v/d Westhuizen '2004

Job Security

Lost my job.
I’m choking-
my chest clenched tight with fear.

Where now?
How now?
What now?

My wife is pregnant.
No- I just can't -
can’t bring myself to tell her...

...What if the little life,
twelve weeks growing in her,
suffers from Mom’s fear and stress?

I’ll need to find work,
as urgently as I can.

Hopefully God
will open some doors...
I pray.

Lost my job.
I’m choking -
my chest clenched tight with fear.

                              Chris M. v/d Westhuizen '2004 (Translated from Afrikaans)