Dis past five innie môre, die eerste drom is buite.
Stoot my 2m x 2m wit sak op four wheels nader:
soekend na treasures.
Om kousel aan my kinta te provide.
Ek sien myself as ‘n groene.
An environmentalist on grassroot level.
Krap heeldag tussen parties, funeral kosbakkies en kimbies –
vir plastic, bottels, kratte en bokse.
Maak dit met sorg en liefde skoon, vir die inweeg,
Want dis my loon.
Die Mandelas lê tussen my melkkanne en bra.
For safekeeping.
Terwyl ek met ‘n smile na die spaza shop stap
met my shopping list: ‘n brood, sakkie melk,
R5 se appels, blikke Lucky Star pilchards, pak kerse en my BB-tabak.
Dan gaan park ek my 2m X 2m virrie aand.
Theolla works at the University of the Western Cape, whilst studying an Honours in Women & Gender Studies part-time. Her poetry and short fiction have been featured in anthologies and magazines such as Kuier Tydskrif or IOL’s Landisa Project. She published Die Here kom sterk deur, in 2023, which received the Cape Flats Literary Award for Teenagers’ Books. She’s since received three more Cape Flats Literary Awards for her contribution to literature and for best poem for "Hou jou bek". Her debut novel, Soetroos van Saron, is soon to be published by Kwela Books. But she says her favourite story is being a mom and wife.
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Great Theolla