Philke Borgelt

Milnerton, South Africa

Born of Dutch parents in Java, Philke was interned there by the Japanese from 1942 to 1945. Her family emigrated to New Zealand in 1946 where she studied to become a Marine Biologist at Victoria University of Wellington. A licentiate in piano enabled her to give music lessons. During a trip around the world to meet her grandmother in Holland, she met her husband in Cape Town. Four children were born of the marriage. She finds writing poetry a therapeutic way of distilling her life's experiences and enjoys using the Haiku form of poetry to express the beauty of nature.

Bokmakierie

when branches are bare
you see the birds better

The Mountain Jester

Wears yellow daisies,
red blobs of ericas,
Hurling mist for tricks.

Between Showers

Herb scent, rocky view
Spider webs hung out to dry
Bird calls, "How are You?"

Renewal In south Africa

There is so much we need to learn
In this fair land of ours
Of different ways to understand
forgive, forget, go on...

I Was Glad

At dawn I saw ducks
Flying west beneath the moon
"Quark" - and I was glad.

Change

Colours mixed in snake-like queue
sky overcast, mood subdued,
flocks of pigeons overhead
Leaving for somewhere new.

Patiently we wait to vote
Happily for some, a "first",
New flag, new song, new prospect -
Thy Will, O Lord, be done!

Freedom To Choose

The world like a stage
Is provided by God:
We, the players
Can choose the plot!

Versatile Jack

Ever thought about Jack? Cast your mind back
To Jack Spratt who would eat no fat;
Every Jack shall have his Jill
To live in the house that Jack built;
Up the hill Jack went with Jill
And colder than most is Jack Frost;
With Kings and queens our Jack of Spades
Is a Jack-of-all trades,
But all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,
So lift up the lid of a brand new toy
And out pops a Jack-in-the box.
There's no lack to our versatile Jack!