You Were Born

The silence often of pure innocence Persuades when speaking fails.

William Shakespeare

I took this photograph of Keenan Adams just after his Mother left. She had taken Keenan with her to the small town of De Rust, leaving early one morning with his two brothers. I remember seeing them walking down the road holding her hands tightly. She was leaving the farm, his home to find work in town. Later on in the afternoon I thought I heard his voice so I went up to their home and there he was, back. He had hitchhiked by himself back to Rooi Rivier Farm because this was his home and he wanted to live with his Grandmother, Anna May. Luckily the farm's schoolteacher had seen him hiking by the outskirts of De Rust and brought him back. She told me he never cried at all and was just so determined to go home. I sat with him that afternoon and spoke with him about Anna, his Mum and he had this silent, sad look on his face. He didn't speak...he didn't need to...