Wednesday 19 June 2013

If you forget me - Pablo Neruda

I came across this poem today..
If You Forget Me
I want you to know
one thing.

You know how this is:
if I look
at the crystal moon, at the red branch
of the slow autumn at my window,
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

Well, now,
if little by little you stop loving me
I shall stop loving you little by little.

If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you.

If you think it long and mad,
the wind of banners
that passes through my life,
and you decide
to leave me at the shore
of the heart where I have roots,
remember
that on that day,
at that hour,
I shall lift my arms
and my roots will set off
to seek another land.

But
if each day,
each hour,
you feel that you are destined for me
with implacable sweetness,
if each day a flower
climbs up to your lips to seek me,
ah my love, ah my own,
in me all that fire is repeated,
in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,
my love feeds on your love, beloved,
and as long as you live it will be in your arms
without leaving mine.
© Pablo Neruda

Thursday 13 June 2013

Missing you guys

Leonore, Caron, Gino, Jessica, Thembelani and Keenan.
I MISS YOU GUYS!!!!

Man, I did not realise I was going to miss you guys so much. Hope you are all well, hope you are writing. I am trying to develop my 5 picture exercise into an actual short story and am slowly making some progress on my fiction.

I tried to get two magazines to buy my personality profile but one rejected me and the other just ignored me.
Oh well...

Wednesday 5 June 2013

My favourite places in Cape Town

A tourist will rarely (if ever) have bad things to say about Cape Town. We have beautiful beaches and botanical gardens, friendly people, shopping malls, the wonder that is Table Mountain, amusement parks...the list is quite extensive. The balance of natural and man-made attractions is what makes Cape Town great. However, when you're a resident, less famous places tend to become your favourites. These are some of mine...


Gordon's Bay Beach Front: besides the clean, warm smell of the ocean, there are two things in particular that I absolutely love - the Uncle Barry's ice-cream parlour and a book shop called 'Pop-In"...quite an ironic name because once you walk into the shop, there are books everywhere! Under the tables, on top of the tables, piled against the wall or on shelves. You actually have to spend a whole day in it to be able to browse through even half of the books. 
Pop-in Bookshop at Gordon's Bay Beach front
Cape Town Company Gardens: situated on the corner of Adderly and Wale Street, this has become a recent favourite of mine. A friend had her wedding pictures taken here and we had to tag along. While the wedding party was busy, myself and another friend bought something cool to drink and took a leisurely stroll around the Gardens. What a serene place - from the floral scents, kids playing and feeding the squirrels to other wedding parties taking their pictures against the  beautiful green canvas of the Gardens. My only regret is that I don't get a chance to sit there often enough.
Company Gardens - Cape Town
Strand Beach: This town has sentimental value to me as it is the place I was born. Whenever I need to be alone or calm down, I take a walk along this beach until I cannot walk anymore and find a spot on the sand to inhale the salty scent and listen to the waves.
Strand Beach
St. George's Mall: This is part of my morning journey to work. What is actually is-a brick paved road with shops, banks, offices, etc. on either side and informal traders dotted down the centre. It stretches from Wale Street to Strand Street and is only covered in spring and summer - by a leafy bottle green canopy. Outside are park benches and seating from the various eateries and coffee shops, and despite all the foot traffic, it is actually a peaceful place to enjoy a drink, meal or smoke.

St. George's Mall