Photography & Poetry

I’ve been meaning to share some of my most beloved poetry with you for some time now but I’ve been wanting to share it in a creative way. So instead of simple words on a blank paper background, I had this great idea to combine two of my favourite loves; landscape photography and poetry! But of course! Why haven’t I thought of that before?

Below follows a selection of my all-time favourite poems that I’d like to share with you. Tell me what your favourite poems are in the comments section.

Till next time, xoxo…

Favourite Shakespearean poem :

“Let me not to the marriage of true minds”

Favourite Afrikaans poem :

(With apologies to my English readers. But oh my, how I wish I could translate this poem to you, it is soooo great!)

“Waar ruwe rotse”

My favourite poem of all-time :

“Alone”

 

Happy (belated) Spring!

Okay, so I’m about 11 days late but I just had to add a blogpost on the season of flowers and blossoms and honeybees and strawberries! Oh my word….it’s Spring!

Very befitting to the season of ‘change’, I have created a ‘Spring bucket list’ of things I will attempt to do while the sun shines a little brighter and the air is a little warmer. So here goes;

1) Go wine tasting

As I’ve mentioned (or rather bragged) a few times before; I live in the most gorgeously, beautiful wine valley with any given wine tasting room literally on my doorstep. And yes, I know I am very fortunate. Spring is also known as the season for wine tasting (and drinking) and that is exactly what I intend to do!

2) Plant some flowers

While the weather is a little warmer outside it’s an awesome opportunity to spend some time outdoors and why not do your little contribution to the environment by planting some flowers (and trees too)!

3) Take a bike ride

Contrary to popular believe, I used to be quite an avid cyclist. I’ve completed the Cape Argus Cycle Tour, a 109 kilometre race, at least once in my life (the operative word being; ‘completed’). I plan to take full advantage of the warmer weather by partaking in outdoorsy activities, like cycling and running/jogging. Early evenings are a great time to be outside.

4) Spring cleaning

Attention all hoarders: ‘Tis the season to SPRING CLEAN! What better excuse to get rid of all stacked up and clogged up ‘stuff’ than to spring clean? I love getting rid of old stuff because it makes space in my life for new ‘things’ (not material stuff necessary) to come my way. In fact, I’ll even go as far as saying that in order for new things to come into our life, you must get rid of the old. As the saying goes; ‘Out with the old, in with the new.’

5) Picking strawberries

Strawberry picking is the best way to celebrate Spring. What’s not to love; it’s fun, yummy and red! What more could you possibly want in life?

6) Sit at an outside cafe

Gone are the days when we used to rush inside from the cold to get a cuppa java from our faviourite coffee shop. Oh no! Now we pick the outside table, open a newspaper or book and chill with our sunglasses and a good ol’ cup of boeretroos. Ah! Isn’t this what dreams are made of?

7) National Braai Day!

27th September marks National Braai Day (not that we need reason to braai/barbeque). Whoophoo!! Bring on the grills, the wood, the seasoned steaks and the wors (sausage). As South Africans there are very few things we like more than a good old-fashioned piece of meat on the grill. My tummy is smiling.

Spring also provides ample opportunity to grab my camera and just go out exploring. I hope to build up a solid Spring collection of pics and share them with you. Happy Spring everyone!

Till next time, xoxo…

What were you made to do?

I came across this qoute earlier today; “It’s not about what you are able to do, but what you were made to do”. I immediately saved it to my collection of fave qoutes.

I wrote my first book when I was twelve years old. It was in Afrikaans, my mother tongue, and featured four best-friend protagonists who ‘coincidently’ resembled those of me and my three best friends. And yes, I did occasionally suffer from a lack of imagination but my creativity made up for it for the most part. I continued to write with a notepad (the paper kind) and pencil throughout my teens and later developed a deep love for poetry writing.

But it wasn’t until I was sixteen when I realised that writing in English just sounded so much better than Afrikaans. And I didn’t even need a wide vocabulary (score!). Or at least that’s what I thought. I  became infatuated with trying to perfect my English to master my poetic rhyme and prose. I bought English magazines as very few books were available at our local library. I submitted my work into writing competitions (and won a few too!) and I devoured every piece of English literature I could lay my hungry eyes on.

One day, while hanging out with my friends in my room I excitedly wanted to share the latest addition to my poetry collection with them. They were usually the very first victims who were subjected to my rhyming mumbles. Halfway through my recital my one friend exclaimed; “Oh Meriza, would you stop reciting other people’s work and pass it off as your own?”

I doubt I’ve experienced a prouder moment. My heart skipped a beat and I asked her whether she really thought it was someone else’s poem? She looked up at me and said; “Isn’t it?” Did she honestly think my poem was good enough to have been published by a renowned poet? Wow! I was beside myself with joy.

Every time I write a good piece of literature or poetry I get all excited and my heart still skips a beat, like it did when I was a twelve-year old girl. Steve Jobs said that we should continue to search for the one thing that excites us. “As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you’ve found it.”  My heart says I was made to write. What were you made to do?