houses one after the other
which are still standing numerous
in towns and cities
too early builder – The Builder's Encyclopaedia
too little businessman – Accounting for Standard 6
self-taught – goodness, with only Standard 3
but later, he mastered his craft quite excellently
why did he have to sexually abuse little girls
then several times during the Great Depression
bankrupt (he was faljiet: broke, Grandma Mieta said)
still, he recovered with a new house
a building with countless windows, rooms, verandas
Grandma Mieta made sure that there was food
from nothing
sometimes courage, also from nothing
to be there with bread, with mutton in a napkin
a flask of hot tea
yet, he misbehaved
sometimes courage, also from nothing
to be there with bread, with mutton in a napkin
a flask of hot tea
yet, he misbehaved
he was a criminal, a sexual predator
the plans, the yards, the buildings, all neat
for the strictness of the municipal official
and the envy of the building inspector
who sourly looked for a fault
but could never find a defect
now, after fifty years, sixty, even older
Grandpa Rotten's houses stand
and when at night
the owl with hollow hoot
shook the walls
the trees trembled
with mortality
one day he had to leave
never to return to us
nobody believed him anymore
he was chased away by my dad
he transgressed too much
a child
the plans, the yards, the buildings, all neat
for the strictness of the municipal official
and the envy of the building inspector
who sourly looked for a fault
but could never find a defect
now, after fifty years, sixty, even older
Grandpa Rotten's houses stand
like monuments that are used
well-inhabited too, and alive
with voices that laugh and sing
and cry
and so the wood and roof tiles
the brick walls, the lead window frames
captured a piece in time
each building had character
the houses were warm homes
for people with voices
that enjoyed that quarelled
and so the wood and roof tiles
the brick walls, the lead window frames
captured a piece in time
each building had character
the houses were warm homes
for people with voices
that enjoyed that quarelled
during happy times
and sad
why his weakness
why his weakness
why this rotten spot
because the days were thick
and full of uncertainty and fear for us
because the days were thick
and full of uncertainty and fear for us
and when at night
the owl with hollow hoot
shook the walls
the trees trembled
with mortality
one day he had to leave
never to return to us
nobody believed him anymore
he was chased away by my dad
he transgressed too much
why the shame
why be like that
every dwelling still stands
but the cracks move through the reeds
in the dry stone-hard wind
why be like that
every dwelling still stands
but the cracks move through the reeds
in the dry stone-hard wind
and at night
weeps in innocence
a child
🦋🌿
Adaptation of the poem
© Annora Eksteen, 2025
HANDEWERK
LOUIS EKSTEEN
© Eksteen-siblings, 2001
