Naguil

Ek hou daarvan om snags te werk. Die daglig steur my konsentrasie. Deur die dag is daar so baie om na te kyk, buite, nie in my kamertjie nie. Deur die dag kom lê die honde by my en lek my voete en lek hul eie voete en staan op en stap om en steur my. Deur die dag is die voels buite besig. Deur die dag sny die bure hul gras en die ander bure speel musiek en die ander bure se kinders kyk TV en ek kan alles hoor. Deur die dag is daar net te baie om my aandag aftetrek.

Maar dan sak die donkerte oor Pretoria, my mense gaan slaap en ek raak wakker. Die gordyne is toe, daar is niks meer buitekant vir my om na te kyk nie. Die tyd raak min en ek moet my werk klaarkry, so my brein is volop gekonsentreer op sy taak. Hierdie naguilure is vir my heerlik want ek is allleen en my lyf en kop werk soos 'n masjien saam. Dit is ook nie so drukkend warm nie en mens hoor net af en toe 'n motorfiets verweg op die snelweg ry.

Hierdie is die ure van digters en denkers. As mens so alleen in 'n mens se kamer sit is daar nike meer om te ontdek nie, so dan is introspeksie maar die next-best-thing.

Ek hou van nie nag, want my liggie is die enigte een wat brand.



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I like working at night. Daylight disrupts my concentration. During the day there is so much to look at, outside, not in my little room. During the day, the dogs will come and lick my feet and lick their own feet and they will walk around and bother me. During the day the birds are busy outside. During the day the neighbours cut their lawns and the other ones are listening to music and the children of the other neighbours are watching TV and I can hear everything. During the day there is just too much to distract me.

But then darkness descends over Pretoria, my people are sleeping and I awaken. The curtains are closed, there is nothing for me outside to spy at. There is not a lot of time left and I must finish the task at hand, so my brain is completely concentrated on what I have to finish. These night-owl-hours are beautiful to be because I am alone and my mind and body are working in unison, like a machine. It is also not as hot and one can only faintly perceive the sound of a motorbike on the highway.

These are the hours for thinkers and poets. If one sits by oneself in one's room and there is nothing left to discover, it is inward that one turns.

I like the night, because my light is the only one on.