Direct Poetry from the Jonker Memorandum.

Comment.

The Jonker Memorandum is, as stated elsewhere, an Allegoric prose poem: meaning that the prose part is written using poetic forms and patterns. And much is prefixed by a piece of [so-called] ‘poetry’. The pieces that follow and are called by me ‘Direct’ are, essentially, the punctuation dotted throughout the tale: as a form of Brechtian introduction.

Regarding the pieces contained herein; #6 & #39 are attributed to the poet/philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche with thanks, and are from the script for my performance of that Poet’s work at the Centenary Nietzsche Conference: Pretoria University in 2000. The script was in part derived from the Portable Nietzsche. Viking edition: 1954: Edited by Walter Kaufman.

Other pieces elsewhere may contain words in quotation marks because the words are not mine, but borrowed albeit not attributed because I’ve forgotten from where they were absorbed.

Each piece [other than the two referred to above] is attributed to !NiK [being aka Nicholas Jakari]. [Btw: the ! is a San sign: not a common or garden exclamation mark… Rather it represents the San ‘Click’ sound, and is a symbol for my return in 1994 [referred to elsewhere].

The numbers in Brackets after ! [00] for instance, identify the year in which the piece was composed. In some cases the designation inside the brackets is simply [JM] meaning the piece was specifically written for the place where it was used, when it was written somewhere between ’94 and ’10 when the text was complete or ’14 when the Podcast series was finished.

The name of the Story, the Jonker Memorandum, based on a tale told to the writer in a random barroom conversation by an equally random, aging drunk Afrikaner man in a downtown bar, is to honour the poet Ingrid Jonker who took her life in despair: never believing that a world such as this represented by the tale was actually possible and: nonetheless wrote words that moved souls

1. The Enumerator’s summary.

The poor and the weak,The strong and the meekWere led like lambs to the Reconstruction yardsDownA long steel slideSuspended in deepest space.

The frail and all those of indecisive DispositionWere driven to a new edge; the ledgeAt the end of the universeFell offAnd were encountered No more…!NiK[‘94]

2. The State of the Nation.

I listened to our leader’s State of the Nation Speech and couldn’t understand itI read the critic’s review thatSaid the Citizens of “Manenbug, Harrismith, Diepsloot, Hanover Park,Phomolong and CrossroadsCouldn’tUnderstand the speech either And although I knew none of those PlacesI felt empowered: knowing none of us knew:And that our president’s secret Was safe….!NiK[‘98]

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3. Cooking Turtles: Part One.

From “A Bundle of thoughts`’.Off an old, Long Playing Record… now broken, and lost.

Cooking Turtles is a slow process ofHeating up the water From cold and there Will be a part Where the creature becomes wonderfullyInvigorated.Later when the water is boilingThe turtle is unaware that it has died: for It had stopped LivingEarlier.!NiK[‘98]

4. Notes off a wall inside a police station.

Bear in mindThe destruKtive konsequencesOf unrestrained self-interestOn a simple of Unsophisicates No!No?No - a simple of sophisticates, Surely?And As they say“A bullet in the spine WillChange your life”.!NiK[05]

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5 What happens when the Juggler loses its footing

Kri-o-genia + Her n Me n Then

A break of lightAgainst the wallReveals the bar ‘tween me n you.

And here to keep me from youA cross to bar the night;To share the quiet solemnity: ofOur unimagined hope, held tight.

Beyond the squaresThe bare fleshed veinsEtch outNature’s childStark with naked painAnd stroked with evening’s chill.

A howl across the darkness Of a momentEchoes off the barren seedsMarked out by season’s change.

Now is the timeWhen warmth has goneOur peace Is held restrictedTo the square yard of our minds.!NiK[‘78]

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6. Hyperconsciousness & Freidrich Nietzsche.

“Could you create a god? ThenDo not speak to me of any gods. But youCould well create the Overman.Perhaps not yourselves my brothersBut unto fathersAnd forefathersOf the overman.

You could re-create yourselves:And let thisBe your best creation.”

Thus Spake ZarathustraNietzsche

7. Probable Possibility.

Was the core of realityReally a placeWithout light:A howling soup of uncertaintyWithout konstrukt or meaning?

So much for probability.!NiK[00]

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8 We’ve changed time.

We’ve changed time,He said.

I’ll fight the rulesI will not succumb.

We do more in a day Than our forefathers Kould konsider

I’ll fight the changingOf the rulesI will not succumb.

Doing in a weekI will not succumb

What our ancestors didPerhapsIn a lifetime.

So we have compressed time And burned out our abilityTo keep up,She chirped.

I’ll fight. I wont succumb…I will not succumb.

Yes we have changed timeWe’ve also sold off Most of itHe concluded caustically.!NiK[07]

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9. Systematizing parody

Do we systematize Our everyday parodiesAbout the changingOf timeTo suit a vengeful purposeThat we allocated toOurAlphaman… to ourAlphapersons!NiK[02]

10. A

Shall we take a little walkiesaid the spiderto the fly…

The walkies are behindUsAnd I hope thatWe don’t die.!NiK[03]

11 Loadshedding: voices in the dark.

How do we make it rain?We water the gardenWash the car.

We wash the carWe wash the car We wash the carFor Korinth Starr.!NiK[JM]

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12 The rain arrived

The rain arrived firstBefore the lights came on.

When power goesWe have to talk to each otherAgain.And deal with truth…Deal with silence.

The multiverse punishes us ThenFor intemperate actsAnd also presents usWithThe opportunityToExperienceDisappointment.

Driven only by the CertaintyThat we ruleAnd to continueIs to ruleOn.!NiK[JM]

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13. Those who konstrukt rules.

I met a man who said he Had been drinking with meAll nightBut that the bottle was still full.

I met a gambler in denialWho said he couldn’t RememberDrinking Bell’sOr even why he gambled.

It’s the little thingsHe saidThat gradually pisses you offAbout a place:The soap that you don’t Find in the Bathroom; the sun blinding your eyes as youDrive east in The morningThe fool who drives to the Corner atThe edge And waits thereTo be fetched.And the ambitiousWho block the roadWith their egos.

Most of all it’s the issue Of chairsAnd how they should Be Placed.!NiK[JM]

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14. From the Testimonies

Whatever you do To the web of lifeShall be returned to youTwicefold.And shall through all your lives.

The book of Shadrack: Navaho section.

So the Navaho sayWhatever you doTo the web Of lifeWill come back to You.

Is that the same as fate?Is that why we cannotWaitTo be Late.

The web of life is, itSeems,To be OurTangled levy.!NiK[JM]

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15. Rape: The genocidal Crime.

Variations on some lines in the Jozi “Star” newspaper. Wed 18/4/2012

“A crime that shames us all.”

It’s the crime of shameAnd it is here to staySeven rapes per manIn a single dayViolently takenIn only one way.

“The tip of it all”They lasciviously say,To an ‘Ysberg of rape’Oh yay…Oh yay…

Deep down inside A penetrating rayThrusting up, up, up: Through the curds and the whey.Rape… oh rape… a girl child a dayRape, rape, rape your worries away.

Oh… rape, rape, rape to show you really careRape away the rage at all that isn’t fair.

Shame, shame, shame.Do not stayIt’s just a little game soRapeAwayRape away?Rape:Away.!NiK[‘12]

Ysberg = iceberg. Afr:

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16 Destiny.

Couples parade withEarnest enthusiasmTo the fast moving Fox –TrotFrantically giving new UrgencyTo otherwiseFutile purpose.Because?That’s what we do.[Book of Shadrack]!NiK[JM]

17 From the 3rd Book of Shadrack

Exploit the minds Of those who dress In fineryAnd march to the tune Ofsomewhereelse.

While we dance amongstThe fantasiesOf our abstractExigencies*

Dissecting parts.Dissecting portions.A gleaming

ScreamingScrap from

Our quiteUnimaginedCaprice.**!NiK[‘12]

*Exigencies: New Webster – intrinsic requirements or circumstantial necessities.** Caprice: New Webster – mere fancy.

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18 Inkambabeyibuza*

from: ‘The Notes of Joy’

You can be a part Of the powerOr apartFrom the power;Parceling traditionOr facing madness.Never Believing that anyoneCould believe.So ‘Inkambabeyibuza’:“By this scar then,YouShallRemember meAnd this”.![‘08]

Inkambabeyibuza… IsiZulu. Means what it says.

19. Remembering

When we did not RememberTo rememberWhat we thought We should Remember We found ourselvesUnable to graspAt strawsOr see the brokenDoors:We found we hadForgotten whyWe chose to DoThe things we ChoseTo do.!NiK[JM]

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20. Return to the Virtuality game.

Don’t talk to me of ghostsFor there are noneI don’t believe this to be a rockThis is a rockAnd when I am not here the rock remainsI’m sure… Aren’t i?

Our world is Not A VisionDronkverdriet*To which we aspire it is not the knowledge that weHave represented to ourselvesIn a form Awaitingrearrangement.History/Herstory/Theirstory/Ourstory:It’sallintheblankspaces.Is there existence if no one records it?Are we as ephemeral as the rock?Do we matter?Why?!NiK[Circa ‘06]

*Dronkverdriet: Afrikaans. Maudlin drunk.

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21. Indicators

The bang on the front ofThe headThe warning tremble of ThoughtThat preceded itWhen I walked that wayWith the load.

And then… to forget: inThat same instantTo forget:And be so brutally Reminded.

You were told!We warned you when youWent this way before!Retention rulz….!NiK[‘12]

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22. With regard to Mr. Thomas

Tremor shakes off meWith every change of wayWhile you react with Panic?And break you downTo pray? Or do you prey?

So: you do not go fiercelyInto that good dayTremor shakes off You… tremor shakesOff youWith every change Of way…

You do react with panic ThoughAnd do Break you down… ToPray.

Prey.!NiK[‘12]

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23. The Apocalypse came and went: Legends of Urdos.

What if the people in the stories In which the committed rapists livedWere able to Emote At someLevelLikefishthatdailyswarmTo a feeding place: In search of nourishment.

Does That figment of the ImaginationCarry with it theResidual informationThat caused it to be formed?

Is it accessible?And so:When people follow leaders As shadows follow Owners then all are blindFollowing the virtuous certaintiesOf faith: a deep convictionThat certaintyIs ruled by uncertainty,Which is itselfCertain.!NiK[04]

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24. Ellis says…

“On running the Milethere comes a pointat which thepacemustpickupin order that one may sprinttowardthefinishlineand reach it,notwithstanding stumbles.!NiK[JM]

25. Oram Mangosti

Should you say youCannot go on Moving forwardThen perhapsIt is because YouAre unable To forget…

Inkambabeyibuza… byThis scar ThenYou shallRemember Me.!NiK[JM]

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26. The thing about the wind

The thing about the windWas the timing:There was none.

As soon as you knewOr thought you knewYou no longer Knew

And a cycle preceded aCycleOr in shortening Became Interspersed:So we sayGo Now!NiK[JM]

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27. Zen zat was ze way.

I am ze way of zenIt’s what I doI believe every thing And No Thing.

Every thing so that iShould not Inadvertently Miss The Truth.

And NoThingSo that I canUnderstand Certainty.!NiK[‘08]

28. What’s in the dark.

A byte is eight bitsAnd a bit is a binary digit:A zero or a one.And this Unicode stuff?Ah… that is a lot bigger… binary processedIntoHothexadecimals.!NiK[‘00]

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29. Chips in the game.

The dazzling disc calledMoonHid itself in plain sightBehind a swiftly flowing veil:Rain soaked shards Of Nimbus.!NiK[JM’0]1

30. Dekonstruktions

From: Random Notes….

I am beginning to grasp At the secular nature Of consciousness.

Is this what I mean?Or did the message alter from The hand UpTo the brain or… perhaps…Vice versa.

Did the paper change it?Or the pen?Or did i?And Why?!NiK[JM’00]

31. Regarding Intellectuals – Guilty as Charged.

Oh vanities of intellectuals, and prideBefore a fallSovereignty and self-determination helpA girlWalk tall.

Oh vanities of intellectuals, pride Before a tumble.Sovereign self-determinant soA girl shouldn’t grumble.!NiK[JM’00]

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32. Excerpt from “All tax is theft”…

A response to a strident call from a Stakhanovite style apparatchik for “poems about the economy” made in the context of confiscatory “take it all back” tax proposals. 29/05/00

Taxes, levies, history, herstoryComputers, smartphones,Investors, strikes, footballersAnd murder: plus the concept Of delete Consciousness…

The world of todayIs the world of Delete – consciousness?

Nay – I never heard of that!

Those who live todayAre not the sameAs those

People who lived here yesterdayThe people of today have deleted The people of YesterdayFrom their consciousness inOrder to Cope with today… [Podcast ends here… balance of original follows should you choose i.e. it is ex-Jonker.]

Yes in order to cope with today…

To demand of the world of today that it should pay for theDeeds of yesterdayIs an idea that can only Begin to work should people decide to loveA Demander today.It is no longer enough to be loved ThenIt has to be now.

On the Dow, the product must haveCredibility,And unspeakably sharp and acute Marketing methods to get good attention

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That attracts velvet pawsAnd a favourable mention.Ok.

The idea of taxing anyone EspeciallyAs a form of reparationIs a demand That must be analysed In the context of what happened toOther similar taxes in the growing of the nation:The general state of the tax inflationProcess.The treatment of corrupt tax thieving officialsCaught, as it were, during recess:Generally what the Taxpayer gets after the promises have been Deducted from the bill;Instead of “fuck you, stand back,I haven’t emptied the till”.

Securing invested money: that is Securing other people’s money, honeyExtends through risk evaluationTo the limits of gradation, mixed To bland computerized credulityImpacts upon the premiumWe have to payFor nice clean offshore money:Instead of dirty honey, heyWhere the Anti-Kollektive Kolektas Karry Kalashnikovs and K….

All tax is theft. Especially those bereft and Confiscatory deductionsLike capital gains disruptionsThose are scary to all those mary’s Who seriously dispose with“Other people’s” woes, by handling their cashTo demo overwhelming dash:At the same time, with great care,Beneath an open stare.

Investors are owners of money.They are not politicians or somethingElse funnyIt may be in doubt they are human at all;Concepts wired up With a screen for a wall to show memory:

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Spewing out models of riskAnd uncertainty.Measuring the loot of the world’sAging billions:Cash that adds up to hundreds of trillions.What you did last month doesn’t matter a jotIt’s what’s happening now that counts for the lot.

When a butterfly tumblesAnd falls in PeruThe red card is flagged from computer to you. The Risk model says the riskFactors have altered:That risk you took last week has now Gone and falteredSo follow instructions: delete from the programmeThat order we called And that hold put on PutThe rate must go u[p Or the cash go on out.

Perceived expectations: perceived quantumRiskModified market uncertainties FriskDown our hopes Batters our fearsCauses the money to stopAnd change gears.

Perennial problems perplex perceived risk.Confusion of outcomes presents the most riskTo one who man’s mountains of money: to plan and toDo and to follow things through toThe end:That should always be happy.

Should this Hollywood twitchSuffer a glitch… should heaven transform into hellWhen success equals misery,Inconsolable outrage,Mixed in withAngerAs Well.Then confusion will reignThe markets feel painAnd the cash is away before Losseswillclaimallthegain.

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In other words: in the world of moneySomething is done; that is not at all funny:A result is achieved, expected or not.There are no relative gainsFor corporate aimsBut returns, as predicted.Should results be in doubt,Then someone with cloutChanges course,Before loss is addictive.

When bosses complain, cash workers feel painAnd the outcome is bad for the homeowner’s loan and the girlWho was Jill becomes Jane.

Alt.F1 delete part one: next transaction please. !NiK[‘00] Episode 59This entire piece originally was used in “Random Notes”. The introduction only the was used in the story of the Jonker Memorandum.

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33. Tear down the house.

With kompliments to R.J. Mugabe [aka Bob the

Roz] – One who kept his word.

Fragment from Lemuria.

Between the desert fathersAnd the measurement problemThere remains somethingAbout a graveThat never saw father time FelledUpon a leaf

A vera causa To the very stuff of Poetry.!NiK[JM’00]

34. Regarding a Planetary catastrophe.

Ring a ring of rosesAll fall downOne-down two-downAll on to our noses.!NiK[JM’99]

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35. Open Season

We thought the stormsCame yesterdayBut they came againTodayAnd things are brokenAnd everything’s gone – again.

Where have they allGone mama?

Where have you all gone?!NiK[JM’12]

36 Alldays

Running on a road to AlldaysWhen what happens isNot what happens: Searching for the things we thoughtWe had;Finding things we didn’t wantThen finding … do weReallyKnowAnything at all?!NiK[‘10]

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37. Memories of an Apocalypse

I was taking a Thai massageWhen news that the World hadEnded Came through on the Radio.

Go North said the Disembodied voiceThrough the static clamourOf massHomicidalPanic.

Why North? Why?North was goneSouth was too.

There are graves in The mistHereJust waiting for You.!NiK[‘12]

38. Baobab musings

I’m neither a joinerNor a hand’s upperEitherOf these May differAccording to circum-Stances.

But nonetheless We will takeThe journeyTo itsEnd.!NiK[‘07]

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39. Loadshedding again.

“This life as you live it now andhave lived it you will haveto live again timeswithout number.”…

F. Nietzsche

40 Investigations into meat and aging graveyards

Ageing graveyards [or are they?]Aging graveyards.Does it matter?

We never fear thoseWhose wrath Cannot move usTo Terror !NiK[JM’06]

41. Justwhenwethink….

Just when we think it’sTime to come in from the DarkThe light loses its Exuberance andWe struggle to RememberWhat we want to Remember!NiK[JM’06]

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42. Collusive coverage.

The spider has had to run for cover.Its web was WantonlyWasted when those,Who travelled with un-Tested hypothesisOf broad unearnedMerit crashedThrough the Door Demanding arbit-Rary affirm-Ation.

So write us some fundsBrother YakoveWrite us someKindKonsideration for the timeWe had to WaitFor OurTurn to bid uponOur ownPreferentialApportionment.

Squaring our participation with your GrotesqueAdmission.

So write us some funds Cousin YakoveSo we can forget:Write now.!NiK[’13]

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43. Nozik meets Starr.

According to the manCalledRobert NozikIndividuals have rightsAnd ThereAreThings no other individual Or group of individuals can doTo themWithout violating those rights:Ding dong.

Does this mean? We thought,That when we penalize Those who exercise theirRight to rapeAnd to murderThat we thereforeUnnaturally oppress those persons.

Or do two rights therefore PermitAWrong.!NiK[JM]

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44. Waar der Schterre loop.

Primeval memory: - Auslaande ballad.

We are the masters of the soil You are but its slaves.

On reading “Tilling the Soil”: - David Day

****************************When the first settlers came here,To this regionThose who were here alreadyOr claimed a hunter’sAffinityWith thePlace Scorned their slavery to the soilThat could Feed themWithout toil

And so: they found it was taken From them.

Now that they have it backIt was againFound thatWhat they wanted Was gone andCould no longer Subsist For them.

They sought freedom and FoundThe cost Of Living.!NiK[‘13]

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45. When you are tired …

When you are ReadyTo beLunchTo be lunch.

When you are tiredYou are ready to be lunch.!NiK [‘13]

46. On Market Piranhas

“Money is a way of thought” [Oswald Spengler]

A market fundamentalist would be likelyTo say that the only realTruth in the known Multiverse is the moving averageOn a StockMarket index.

Others might argue that there are so manyVariations On a moving averageThat nothing mattersAnd that the idea ofTruthIsAnIllusion.

In close-up the Index lurchesWith majesticHard-drivenVelocityIn repose… pools of PiranhaSweeping with uniform movementBreaking Up Breaking Down: threshing their wakeRippling their spineKonstantly Klenzing… rejuvenatingA veritable ebb and flowWarp and weft.

The purest of the pure would callThe Index itself Truth:That the moving gobbling averageMerely predicts the TruthWhatever it may be.!NiK[‘02]

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47. Fibonacci’s Financial Flaws

All debt, she saidIs a right againstThe future.

So I thought of FibonacciAnd his rentals On the seconds of timeBorrowed fromSomewhen WhereTo feed our present ratio Cow.

And knew by all that movedThat the future mustStartTo pay Rent:Now.!NiK[13]

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48. The legend of Korinth Starr

They – you know who ‘they’ are?

‘They’ think they live in a tentWhere no one pays rentFor the space that they takeFrom the place they call SentNow and again.

Now, again the future is stretched So it reaches the pastA paradox sweepThat leaves us aghast A quantum leapAnd mortgaged deep our vast Existence now and now againAnd again now to a thirty thirdTime over again.

So the future now Must pay rent nowTo save us thenTo save us whenTo save us againWhen we saveAmen.!NiK[‘13]

49. Untitled

A loser would not wait to be matedKnowing the end to be inevitableThe machine would resign.!NiK[“01}

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50. Reasoning Revelations [201]

Praxeological thoughts following perusal of a rationalist critique

PraxeologicalThoughtsFollowing PerusalOfA secretlyClandestine Rant

Reason unlocks the door to transformationReason staggers; confounded by transformation.

They felt the great fear thenThose that waitedInJudgementOf thePoet’s Conclusions: deliveredWithout simplicity of…Fractions of…Delusions…

That actionsMay Be libErAtedFrom re-actions…And a callFor RestitutionThat it should not beDestitution!NiK[‘13]

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51. Escaping

Those little boxes were notSo littleEach one fittedA personAnd those that didn’t Want oneCould wear sackclothOr even ashen fineryJustBefore SunriseInstead.!NiK[‘12]

52. What wasn’t imagined?

It was known that time curlsAround things and showsUs what we already knowAs something that we didn’t.

When we foresee that whichWe didn’t dare toPerceive thenWe know that whatWe seeWas not imagined.!NiK[JM’01]

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53. On finding crumpled up notes

I can only sayThat memory IsSelective

The pencil withWhich I writeThisWill

FadeSoon

And when iFindThis note Crumpled Into a pocketIn a few monthsIt will have be-ComeUnInTelligibleLike my recollection of writing it

Thus therefore to suchScribblings On the submersion [?] of moneyAnd other curious, Felicitations: likeDoes DawkinsMeet Dworkin’sMemesPrompting rape* [ukudlwengula… IsiZulu]]MemesPrompting Gryp.** [To ‘grab’ lasciviously: Afrikaans]

Memes being ancientThemesFrom then to Now

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Jumbled and carelesslyDiscardedStraightened not enforcedWith RigidRegime where Write meets Wong

Where rite and Wrong go Badly shod Go DingDongU Pong Odd!!NiK[‘09]

54. Resting on a cliff

Eastern folk saying/proverb Chi-Na

Of the many dozen ways to Get out ofTroubleThe bestIsTo Go!NiK[‘JM] for Chi-Na

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55. A limitation of mind

Everything is ‘gonna’ be all rightAll right? As long as you keepHolding tightTo your visionOf youWhen you Thought you Might

NoLonger

Be Real

Or even in sight

And you know thenThat the impossibleWas Only A limitation Of Mind.!NiK[‘13]

56. Endings

When you are noLonger hereAnd no longerAround: then peaceIsKonstant.!NiK[‘’98]

Thus endeth the ‘Jonker’ set.

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