Gert Strydom, 21 marca 2012
(after Matthew Arnold)
The sea lies flat like a huge lake tonight
but for the spray
that is endlessly sweeping in and out
on the white bay,
some couples walk on the beach
on holiday;
holding their hands under a yellow moon,
some bright beacons and stars will be out soon.
In the distance Table Mountain rises
its huge old bulk,
is gigantic black and flat against the sky
like a ship’s hulk
where it marks the African continent;
sails of yachts sulk
as they lie limp in the windless great harbour
while tranquil people are home from labour.
Lights gleam far away at sea, are passing,
with a long lost
feeling of the great endlessness; as waves
fling, churn and toss
the hopes, fears and happiness of nations;
the great-great cost
of ending impoverishment, the ills
of vast centuries as destiny wills.
At a time faith and the will to be great,
did flow to sea,
like rivers in torrents that did rush in;
people were free
from the wars on the great black continent,
no destiny
could harass the nations, the pyramids,
that any living it now does forbid.
Like waves endlessly crushing on the beach,
and never spent
drawing back again, rushing to and thro
the sheer moment
between us has something that is lasting;
evanescent,
with some joys in our mutual discourse
life also flows to its ultimate course.
[Reference: “Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold.]
Gert Strydom, 21 marca 2012
(after William Butler Yeats)
Anarchy, mere madness is loose,
a president
for life is enthroned (while voted out),
an incident
of total corruption occurs daily,
not diffident
a country is laid waist, in merriment
brought to an utter impoverishment.
His fifth brigade cleans Matabeleland;
killing, raping;
farmers are driven from their property
just escaping
with their bare lives from some murderous crowds,
with mouth gaping
he smiles on the conquest of fertile farmland,
causing famine, in victory holds up a hand.
While havoc reigns some blood flows everywhere,
chaos is spreading,
the opposition is sent to prison,
he is leading
the country to ruin, its falling apart,
its degrading,
it looses all kinds of decent order,
some millions flee south and cross the border.
Without any conviction destruction
is on the earth,
while people want to rob, rape, pillage and kill;
are told from birth
that they have been robbed from a future,
anger they girth;
pray to their ancestor spirits for war,
surely God will now be coming once more!
[Reference: “The Second Coming” by William Butler Yeats.]
Gert Strydom, 19 marca 2012
Life is full of pretty things and I wonder
why constantly we run to find something
when there is beauty at our very feet,
with a myriad of flowers falling under
the jacaranda trees that are blooming,
with tranquillity smelling somewhat sweet
when by nature we are already blessed
and it is as if we are possessed
in life to stumble and at times blunder
trying to find some new significance,
at times letting small things draw us sunder
from a smiling and cheerful type of glance
we are scared that something will plunder
the little joy that brings us some romance.
Gert Strydom, 19 marca 2012
We are puzzled, sometimes we are stunned,
in the sheer face
of beauty; loveliness catches the eye,
with a pure grace,
enigmatic we view morning-glories,
things commonplace
like the blue sky on a clear open day
are serene in the view that they portray.
Sometimes the sea plays its optical tricks
in on the mind,
as if changing its feelings with its hue;
daily we find
azure, cobalt blue, green and grey colours
that does remind
of times of happiness, of joy and pain;
too absolute some colours do remain.
If we get too close perspective is lost,
yet we still know
the true shape and colouring of a thing,
or a inner glow,
a white shimmering brings a universe
the eyes do show
that does not exist in our true sight,
sometimes brings to darkness another light.
Gert Strydom, 19 marca 2012
I
The twilight is framed and covered in black,
drawn closed on the one side,
when suddenly it carries blue-white thunder
that burns sparking, it’s deadly risky,
where no sign of any moon
rise up against the closed night sky,
there are only thunder flashes hitting flickering
without a sign of the Southern Cross
and still the earth waits on drops of rain
to start their irrigation
when a shower continuously patters down,
seeping into the deep ground,
thunderbolts reports constantly
while twilight falls silver over the beach.
II
While twilight falls silver over the beach
the neon lights of the night glitter,
cut-off from the whole universe
as if each one is waiting for discovery
and it’s as if the backwash wants to
pull you deeper into the sea,
in the space where the great ocean stretches
and there is something in each dream and wish
like that Wide Ocean unlimited
that waits free without any bonds,
as if each day and night
works together in a perfect balance,
as if the darkness keeps you for moments,
here where the dark night now folds around me.
III
Here where the dark night now folds around me.
I hear your steps coming closer
the wild wind jerks some of the windows open,
in thunder I am stripped from you
and grief will after years have an impact
that still strips me down roughly
from reason and all kinds of hope,
to keep you against me once more.
The much deeper pain of only being human
does not want to subside in my heart, in my soul,
and sometimes like now with full fury
it becomes real in each thought, in fear,
outside purity is in everything,
as if the white street light shines with sympathy.
IV
As if the white street light shines with sympathy
the city lies stretched out in the distance
as if it is a gigantic spaceship
that continually draws people to it
of which the lights flash on and off
when travellers in their cars come near,
bright lights are seen from a distance
while people gather at many places.
At places the lights are blinding
where people revel at each kind of place
or as if it wants to takeoff with a wild wind
while the darkness of the city stretches out wide,
I wonder where people go soulless;
it’s night with a very small crescent moon.
V
It’s night with a very small crescent moon
that hangs somewhat shameful in the darkness,
at places shadows catch my eyes,
with popular branches swishing about,
I can swear something is following me for a while,
somewhere something hisses like a cat or snake,
I stretch my steps and am far too scared
to look back or now to stop walking,
it’s as if something is suddenly blowing in my neck,
now I am afraid, my arm hairs raise
and I hear the churchyard gate moaning shrilly
while I am in a much greater hurry,
against my back there’s a cold shiver,
with open eyes I pray for God to protect me.
VI
With open eyes I pray for God to protect me,
see some old tramps standing around a fire
when a black cat suddenly moans next to me,
while I see coals with flames rising.
It’s only a big cat moving next to me
and I bend down and stroke it gently,
it’s no unearthly kind of thing
as I had imagined,
above us stars are blazing the night full,
prostitutes triple on like display-dolls,
on the horizon lights are red, yellow and white
one whistles at me while I pass them,
three stand astride arguing with each other,
one girl draws up her blouse and I walk past.
VII
One girl draws up her blouse and I walk past,
I see breasts in their finest detail,
wonder how people live in this godless city,
every thing is getting worse than it had been.
I am alone and almost late
to get bread and milk at the Spar
and I cross the busy street,
hear them call in a choir at me
where one of the girls pulls her skirt up
showing her legs and a white panty,
trying her best to arouse desires,
I catch the smell of vinegar, chips and aniseed
while she begs: Come along with me;
the twilight is framed and covered in black.
Gert Strydom, 16 marca 2012
In a vision once I saw a pretty damsel
as she did sing
with the purest mezzo-soprano voice
before the King,
while a multitude of holy angels
were listening
and there was divine magic in the air,
selfless love and tenderness in God’s stare;
in utter holy dread, the living and dead
had been changed,
were in accompaniment rejoicing;
voices rearranged
they sang the song of Moses and the Lamb,
great and estranged,
that moment did feel as of the purest bliss,
nothing I had experienced as this.
Gert Strydom, 16 marca 2012
God’s glance penetrates all things
And that what my mask hides,
I cannot keep from Him,
not even make it invisible and small
and the things behind my camouflage,
the walls that I build for others
and even my self reverence
are in His sight
but His love is something that never fades
and his pardon stays true.
Gert Strydom, 16 marca 2012
My God cares for birds,
butterflies and bees
and flowers and trees
and even cares much more
for you and me.
Everywhere I see
the greatness of His works,
smell the scent, touch the frailness
of flower cups
and want Him
in the love between you and me
to make our world
more beautiful
and our love work perfectly.
Gert Strydom, 16 marca 2012
I have floated through the sky
while bullets whipped by
and on that day
my God sheltered me with his wings,
sheltered me from exploding things
from rockets, grenades
and even in
the valley of death
walked with me
and helped me to see
the horrific disaster called war
and the tragedy that it enacted
on the innocent, even on soldiers
forced to be there as enemy.
Gert Strydom, 15 marca 2012
At times when I wonder
about the great beauty of the sunset,
when the magic colours that are hanging in the clouds,
suddenly catches me unexpectedly
when the very presence of God is almost palpable
during the twilight,
when stars reach into the depths of the soul,
then life becomes an adventure;
it’s almost as if I can count the stars one by one
where they sit on the dome of night like pieces of hail,
then there’s a message that all of nature does tell,
as if it does possess pieces of God’s love.
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