Die ekologiese kode in die Afrikaanse poësie

M.A.In Afrikaans poetry, Nature is depicted in terms of the relationship existing among and / or inanimate organisms, i. e. an ecological mode. Man's influence on the environment, features strongly in the poetry of the eighties. The anthology, Groen (J. L. Marais), can be seen as a focal point of this involvement. Chapter one provides an overview of the ecological code in Afrikaans poetry, spanning the time from the First Afrikaans Language Movement up till the seventies. With regard to this period, the different approaches of the poets to Nature are being studied. During this era a decidedly dynamic approach to the subject existed. Nature was initially seen as the idyllic, soothing and was also used as a metaphor for beauty and purity. With time, Nature took on another dimension and came to represent destructive forces. In chapter two, the anthology Groen by J. L. Marais, under discussion in this work, concluding the eighties, Man is called to task, i. e. to protect and nurture the balance in the ecology. Man is made aware of both the threat to and the conservation of nature. These binary forces are discussed with reference to two semantic devices, cohesion and coherence. As binding factors they provide a semantic light on the above themes. Verweerde aardbol by J. L. Marais, is approached along the same lines in chapter three. The specific themes used in this anthology, serve as a classification aid. The poet's concern about the transience of nature comes to the fore, and Marais himself states that the time has come for writers to be called up in service to the environment without being apologetic about it (Marais 1993: 32). A clear paradigm shift is visible from the infant years of Afrikaans poetry to the poetry of the eighties. The "green"-awareness which inflamed / inspired the community, plays an important role in the eighties and is reflected in Afrikaans poetry. The dynamic power of the ecological code as theme, still has many untapped areas which can be explored in further studies