My Lasting Minutes

Mississippi mirror on a crust so dry
Jimmy Rodgers spins on a 78 high

Mama dances with a child held tight
Day and night in a burning fight

The boy could sing with a hip’s desire
Again and again, set hearts on fire

Black velvet in a boy’s bright smile
Black velvet in the Southern style

A new breath cleaving valleys wide
Black velvet, oh please, our guide

Memphis caught in a music's sway
Raw rhythm made disciples pray

Mama’s boy in every girl’s delight
‘Love Me Tender’ in each body’s light

His moves were wild, yet sweet and true
Drawing worship from the yearning crew

Black velvet in a boy’s bright smile
Black velvet in the Southern style

A new breath cleaving valleys wide
Black velvet, oh please, our guide

Every word of every song
He sang for me
for you
for all along
But too soon his star did fade

Black velvet in a boy’s bright smile
Black velvet in the Southern style

A new breath cleaving valleys wide
Black velvet, oh please, our guide

Please, oh please, our guide

Derived from Alannah Myles’s song, 'Black Velvet' and translated from Pieter van Rooyen’s poem in Afrikaans below.

Swart fluweel

Mississippi spieël op erge droogtekors
Jimmy Rodgers draai 78 r.p.m
Mama dans met kleinding op die bors
dag en nag in versengende dispuut

die seun kon sing met heup’begeer
en weer en weer laat smeek na meer
swart fluweel in seunsglimlag
swart fluweel in suidersmag

‘n nuwe sug wat klowe klief
swart fluweel tog, asseblief
Memphis was in musiekgloedgreep
rou ritme laat dissipels kniel en dweep

Mamaseun in elke meisiehart se lag
‘Love Me Tender’ in elke liggaamsdeel se smag
sy bewegings immoreel, dog soet en waar
lok die aanbidding van die hunkerende skaar’

swart fluweel in seunsglimlag
swart fluweel in suidersmag
‘n nuwe sug wat klowe klief
swart fluweel tog, asseblief

ieder woord van elke lied
het hy vir my
vir jou
vir ons gebied
maar tog so gou het sy skitterstêr verskiet

swart fluweel in seunsglimlag
swart fluweel in suidersmag
‘n nuwe sug wat klowe klief
swart fluweel tog, asseblief

asseblief tog
asseblief

Pieter van Rooyen 2024