BAREFOOT BROWN KIDDIES

Poet’s Note : Robertson & Ashton are two small wine producing towns in the Karoo of South Africa. Robertson is known as the Town of Roses & Wine because it is exceedingly beautiful, yet the wealth discrepancies between the farm owners & their workers remain vast, even to this day. I worked on a small fruit farm in Robertson managing a guesthouse & witnessed extreme dualities between rich & poor.  

BAREFOOT BROWN KIDDIES 

The road from a town of Roses and Wine to 
  its little sister Ashton is littered with brown 
            barefoot kiddies eating Niknaks 
              Pappas remain addicted to 
                        Lieberstein 

Mamas continue to slave in guest houses 
   blond boss ladies do their hair or 
               paint nails purple
  a Makarov and it’s bullets are  
         memories in the 
            Dust of Fate 
     Robertson farms remain 
           governed by pale 
                 males               

Ashton fields despondent in colonial 
             clutches of wealth 
       they continue to concoct 
        “Best Reds in the World” 
some drink that new bourgeoisie refine 
    their taste buds with when struggle 
              days are long gone 
        nonchalant barefoot brown 
          kiddies run annual races from 
                Ashton to Robertson 
                  ignorant of good 
                   food or any vote 
                      achieved
           Neither am I happy or sad



©GhairoDanielsPoetry
2011
Copyright © | Year Posted 2025


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Date: 3/7/2025 8:39:00 PM
The gap between 'haves and have- nots' is alarmingly wide. The vineyards are owned by white people. They fatten drinking the best wine, while their laborers slog like slaves. Their little boys and girls walk barefoot trudging several miles between Ashton and Robertson. A heart touching poem, dear Ghairo. You are truly gifted.
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Daniels Avatar
Ghairo Daniels
Date: 3/8/2025 1:33:00 AM
ThkU Valsa. You have accurately interpreted this offering. I appreciate your read. Love you lots. X
Date: 3/7/2025 9:24:00 AM
Oh wow dear poetic soul, i just realized after reading this that you are from the very beautiful South Africa! How lucky! And how well written is this! You are such a gifted poet, and you weave words in such a seamless manner! I cant get over the line “ memories in the Dust of Fate ” so poetic and beautiful! So descriptive how youv written this too! Always a pleasure reading your work! And seeing you post here! Sending you light always!
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Daniels Avatar
Ghairo Daniels
Date: 3/7/2025 7:18:00 PM
THANKYOU Inky. And when I read your poems, I think you reflect your beautiful Maldives too. Showers of Light your way too. PS Maldives is on my bucket list. X
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