Kukho amazwe afana nePortugal okanye iIreland, ekubonakala ngathi zithwele iilebhile zokunyibilika nakweyiphi na indlela yobugcisa. Ukususela kumculo ukuya kuncwadi, yonke into imanzi kuloo vumba lokonakala kunye nokunqwenela.
Kulo ncwadi Buyela eBirchwood, UJohn banville uxakekile ehambisa i-Ireland ehlaselwe lelo lizwe lokuzalwa kwesi siqithi sikhulu. UGabriel Godkin ngumlingisi wayo ophambili, uhlobo oluthile lokuguqula umbhali obuyela kuleya Birchwood iventado emele indalo yase-Ireland.
UGabriel ufumanisa ukuba indlu yakudala akhulele kuyo ayinabugocigoci, ikhusela abalinganiswa abahlala kuyo ababonakala ngathi banendawo efanayo yokuwohloka kwexesha elingenanceba. Ngandlela thile, unokulufumanisa olo hlobo lwesikweko phakathi kwenyani efunyenweyo kunye nenkumbulo yexesha elidlulileyo elonwabisayo xa ubuyela kwizithuba ngamanye amaxesha. Umothuko weemvakalelo unokufaniswa neso siphazamiso sombhali esitsalwa ngumbhali.
Nangona kunjalo, ukubanjwa okulusizi kwebali kukwahamba nenqaku loburharha, i-asidi ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo, kodwa uburharha ekupheleni kosuku, obusetyenziselwa ukoyisa intlekele yelahleko kunye nostalgia.
Ngenxa yemeko eyintlekele yelo xesha lobuntwana bakhe, uGabriel uphela eqala esekisini, ngethemba lokufumana iwele lakhe, awelahlekanga ngokungachazeki. Kwaye ke xa umbhali ethatha ithuba lokuveza i-Ireland enzulu, wohlwaywa lusizi kwindawo yayo yasemaphandleni. Kwaye kulapho ke sifumanisa khona ubukhulu babalinganiswa abahlala kwezi ndawo zohlwaywayo. Amanani awothusayo aneendlela zokuziphatha ezingaqhelekanga athi, anikwe amandla okuchaza omlingo kaJohn Banville, ashiye uphawu, phakathi kobugqwetha obunamandla kunye nokubaluleka okungenakuphikiswa okubashukumisela ukuba baphile ebusweni behlabathi eliphika yonke into.
Kule noveli, i-Ireland sisixa sokukhumbula ulonwabo olutyibilika njengomsinga phakathi kwazo zonke iimeko ezicetywayo, zishiya ekuvukeni kwabo i-patina ebeka ubuso kunye nezindlu, izinto kunye nemiphefumlo ese-sepia.
Ungayithenga incwadi Buyela eBirchwood, inoveli entsha yombhali omkhulu uJohn Banville, apha: