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Gert Strydom, 4 august 2016
For now and for always
Will it last this romantic fantasy of shadow and light?
The crimson-red rising moon hangs low where we do walk
through this lovers-lane that it is making tonight.
You are right against me while of lasting love we talk.
Is it magic or a strange kind of reality
when your arms slip around my head,
when you do passionately kiss me
am I alive, in heaven or dead?
As if God on us does His blessing endow
when you promise to be my wife
your whole face does glow,
and this is a day in my and your life.
Gert Strydom, 2 august 2016
The temptation of being near to her
There is something in how she looks at me and looks away again
and I think aloud Satan, Lucifer, demon, devil be gone
as she is going to seduce me with her summer sunshine laughter
in the twilight, dark night or bright day
with her eyes that glitter when she notices me
and I wonder if God does provide such lovely girls
with her walking away that continually whispers promises
and her voice that falls sweetly on my ear
but when she stands right in front of me
and talks to me my breath is taken away
and I notice a small muscle jumping, jumping in her throat
and her snow-white teeth, her hands, freckles and feet is something
against which I do not know how to resist
and then she brings her lips right against mine.
Gert Strydom, 2 august 2016
Your walking away is measured in watt
Your walking away is measured in watt.
Not the 1100 p.m.p.o. of a door slamming shut behind you
that are opened and slammed again
but it is the pattering gait that just can be heard
and the whisper of satin
when you do go to our bedroom
and welcoming the door stays open
when continuously the fourteen-day rain does softly fall
and flames hiss at the fireplace and wood gleam red from the heat
while Steve Hofmeyer on the Kenwood music system
does sing sadly like Neil Diamond
and candles burn romantically at the bath
like a Jewish candlestick that welcomes the Sabbath
and does announce the beginning of the year of jubilee
where everything is again nice and right
to far into the future
and no children or grandchildren
do bring resistance in their visiting multitude
and you and I are alone
like Adam and Eve
when they did noticed each other for the first time.
Gert Strydom, 1 august 2016
In the garden (ABECEDARIUM)
Annoyed the small girl turns to him and says: “Oh no.”
Bees do fly around her in the garden.
Caesar stands in front of her
dangling a wooden sword in his hand,
eager to come to her defence.
Followers to come to their aid do not exist.
Great numbers of vicious bees want to sting them.
He hits a few as enemies down.
Ibises fly up frightened and screaming
just when a whole swarm of bees want to sting them.
Keen-witted he drags her away by the hand.
“Leave us alone you demons,” he screams.
More and more bees fly venomously nearer,
nowhere there is any escape
“Obviously we are going to loose this battle,” his princess says anxious.
Pacify they cannot the enemy. Who is the wretched
quisling that have betrayed them to the foes?
Racing, their hearts beat and they cannot guess while the enemy swish nearer
sting and buzz and they have got to
take defeat and fall back.
Unarmed against the enemy they flee to the protection of the
villa with its huge windows
where no bees can reach them and like a real
Xanthippe mother yells at them to get out of the
yard where it has become very dangerous.
Zulu, the Maltese poodle continually does howl outside.
Gert Strydom, 29 july 2016
Just for a moment it is there
Just for a moment it is there, the lightning bolt that falls
and the smell of something that burns and melts next to a puddle
from where the blue spark bright blinding touches and reach
and with a terrible thunder suddenly roars
with fear on the faces of my child, my wife
that just where I am standing
that lightning bolt does menacing fall.
In that moment’s blinding blue light
while a terrible rainstorm pours down
and I do shake like a reed
I do know that such moments does not linger
but you can take them out of your thoughts again
just like moments of bliss and happiness
where the touching, the colour, the sound and smell does remain
and etched you can find that moment again
from where like old letters you do fold them up and keep them in a small box.
When more lightning bolts slam down my ears are tingling and ringing
while I run to where the woman and child is waiting on the porch
and in the garden its twilight, almost night
where the woman and child are both crying from emotion.
Gert Strydom, 28 july 2016
There are people
(in answer to Mteto Mzongwana)
I am astonished at how things in the new South Africa do go forward,
see the mountain and places around Pretoria in flames,
hear a the ramble of a uprising at the universities where people are fighting
and others pray in groups for peace amid great suspicion.
At schools some girls are raped until they are pregnant
and Christian teachings are unknown,
boys are chopped with axes and swords and are bladed
and some children do disappear without a tract and are missing.
The false prophets in parliament keep telling people
how they create jobs,
that it goes well right through the country
and people are hungry, impoverished and at the portals of hell
because as in the far past crowds are coming from eMbo
(from every African country to the north)
under a new Nguni and Dlamini in a second great roving expedition,
while the country looks like Eden and a rainbow nation paradise
and everywhere there is racism and political correct fraud,
terrible unemployment
and in South Africa it goes far better than it ever has,
on the highways in Gauteng people pay e-tol
and most motorists are fed up with this new tax
where the other roads are full of potholes
and the conditions in state hospitals are terrifying.
l’Envoi
A poet must tell the truth
and cannot talk injustice, dilapidation and lies good
of a country that is sketched as ideal
but in reality is nothing but another rubbish heap state.
[Reference: ”Es daar mense” (There are people) by Mteto Mzongwana.]
Gert Strydom, 28 july 2016
Unknowing we may be living in a war zone
To the front in the road
blue Metro traffic cop lights flash,
a roadblock is set up and pistols
are aimed at the occupants of a car
in the bright daylight
and bombs are removed from the criminals
which the PCF-community guard report
was meant for the blowing up of teller machines.
An armoured car parks at a bank
where four guards with machineguns
and two with money canisters jump out
and one of them commands me to halt
when on the sidewalk I want to pass
and all of them become very angry
when I do not take notice of their antics
and screaming.
At times I do hear jets bursting through the sound barrier,
see the snow-white lines against the bright blue sky
when I hang the washing
and wait upon the winter sun to bake everything dry.
Right through the night my dogs bark
at a police helicopter
that swishes up and down
our well to do suburb
and it hits me when we drive into the garage at home
that unknowing we may be living in a war zone
but it is safe where we live
behind steel palisades, barred windows
and steel gates
with a emergency button to press
for the ADT-security’s armed response
that arrives within five minutes.
[Reference: PCF = Police Community Forum.]
Gert Strydom, 27 july 2016
Holiday
When the sun does flower outside
the children want to rollick
but you are still asleep
and will not be ready for some time.
You are glued to the mirror
and with your DD-breasts you are too fat in your own mind
while you do look at yourself in your scanty bikini
where you do have a perfect figure.
On the beach I do apply sun-tanning lotion to your body
where you sit under the shading umbrella
while every man does watch you
and from behind sunglasses you do peep at the other people.
Every afternoon we eat at a restaurant
on the edge of the beach
where you order seafood and the children feast on their steaks
and you do regard the holiday as miserable
even when we do drive out to places
and the children want to stay forever at the sea.
Gert Strydom, 26 july 2016
I yearn for the secrets of nature (sonnet)
I yearn for the secrets of nature
where wild game graze next to the dust road
and I long for the veldt where it is silent,
silent from the bustle of the city,
where the sky has an own blue hue,
where the rain comes in the afternoon with thundershowers
and you can see interesting things if you look carefully,
can be astonished by insects, animals and flowers
but in the city I hear the turbines of Impala platinum singing continually,
are choking from the coal smoke from the squatter camp that is nearby
and on the highway people are angry and cannot restrain themselves,
at factories in the distance I notice pollution and vapour,
the money machines at Carnival casino jingle without end
and on Friday afternoons the whistling of the alarms echo
when poisonous gasses and dangerous things build up at the factories
and it is at these times that I want to leave the city,
go back to the veldt where you can find the works of God
and be able to believe in Him with the faith of a child.
Gert Strydom, 25 july 2016
At 52 the nuts of my country are stripped
At 52 the nuts of my country are stripped
so that nothing can fit together anymore
and everything in my world has changed.
At work I have been retrenched
and I can get no other work
in my profession
(for which a person does need a university degree
or two)
where the past of other people
is now catching up with me
as my country has experienced affirmative action
and that just for some people.
Some young people who are already mature
do attend church
but are not interested to be baptised,
do not even live out the principles
of that religion
and young girls in mini dresses
that is so short that you can see their panties
do lead out the song service from up front
and they do pray to daddy God
while a older gentleman
do scream in a black native language
on someone that whispers in an emergency during a service.
People do walk over others from their own people
to fit into the political correctness
where they work at the police or civil service
and the Yin-Yang (good and evil),
the point of view that every person is a god
and for others the prosperity religion
that does believe that those who are prosperous
are the only ones that are blessed by God
is very popular.
There are many old people who are an embarrassment
to their children,
and they are suffering from misery and poverty.
Some young children have got to wait a turn
to eat or not
and I do talk to God
over all of these things when I do kneel down to pray.
Gert Strydom, 25 july 2016
A strange dream (triolet)
At night I have the strangest dream
where all of my hope is swept away
but everything is not how it does seem.
At night I have the strangest dream
but in love you do vow and deem
to love me past every night and day
but at night I have the strangest dream
where all of my hope is swept away
Gert Strydom, 24 july 2016
The beach, the morning
(in answer to Patrick Cullinan)
At early morning dawn
eighteen big busses appear
some with Putco, Morning Star
and others with Amagolang signs on them
and on their top roof racks.
Everything is loaded from blankets,
wheelbarrows, chicken coops to primus stoves.
Durban’s South beach, North Beach
and Country Club
are packed with a throng
of black tourists everywhere,
who unclothe right there in public
and swim in all colours of underpants,
in white, cream and pink bras and panties
with black nipples and private parts
shining through when wet
and some old black grannies fill bottles
with sea water and a bit of sand
believing that it’s good medicine
while some chickens
in a great tumult of noise
are brought out of a cage,
are beheaded with a shining axe,
are plucked and on tent poles
spit fried on the beach.
Some men and boys
pull their pants down
and urinate near to a water tap
while others wait in line
at the toilets which are filled
past capacity.
[Reference: “The beach, the evening” by Patrick Cullinan.]
Gert Strydom, 22 july 2016
Where star systems do disappear in the nought (sonnet)
Where star systems do disappear in the nought,
far away from our earth’s atmosphere
where nebulas, planets and stars shine
and dark holes absorbs everything near,
even past the burning jaws of hell
and where space does collapse into the abyss,
where solar systems form and get life
the omnipotent Lord God builds his fortress and His stronghold
and time, distance and space do make no difference to Him
when He comes to true salvation in the depth of distress
and His sovereign holy omnipotent righteous will
commands Armageddon and the jaws of death,
does order the spark that becomes thunder, the drops of rain
where on His judgement-seat He does judge and bless everything.
Gert Strydom, 21 july 2016
Come to my flower garden
(After A. G. Visser)
Come in the spring and see my flower garden
when suddenly after the winter it bursts out in beauty,
when the roses do bud and later start flowering,
when the irises astound with all of their colours
and furtively morning glories trumpet forth the sun.
Come in the forenoon when a swarm of doves coo,
rejoice and flaunt and sing love songs to deep in the night
and daylilies open their cups yellow, orange and dark-red,
when the tiger lilies and gladiolas awaken after the winter
and the afternoon-ladies do peep at the sun.
Come in the afternoon when the jasmine, lavender and gardenia
carry their fragrances as they did in the early morning,
when the geraniums are full of flowers right up to winter
and the rain lilies flower in the purest white,
when the evening flower brings magic to the sultry nights.
Come at dusk when the sun sets over the hillocks,
when some flowers wait upon the arrival of the moon,
then find the magic that twilight brings
when the weaver, redbreast and sparrow do sing love songs
and you are surrounded by beauty from everywhere.
Come when the moon rises red and later becomes silver-white
when in longing I yearn to have you close
that you my darling can experience the magic of each flower cup
before they wither away with the course of time
and I can show you the loveliest of our flowers.
Come let us together experience the colours and fragrances
and in love and happiness visit and laugh
before the summer of our lives come to a end,
past the last years of old age
where only in thoughts we will have a piece of this paradise.
[Reference: “Rosa Rosarum” by A. G. Visser.]
Gert Strydom, 21 july 2016
Warriors of the civil service
To where blankets hang during the afternoons
on the balconies of flats
to catch the last afternoon sun
a whole impi does return at nightfall
from where they daily sit in offices
behind desks,
of the new civil service the top product
with pens that scribble, scratch and screech on papers
and they make as if they are very busy,
do send citizens continually round and about
with there attention focused on the clock on the wall
and at five a clock they rush out in a throng,
together with each other in a ancient war dance
and before the sun sets they sing at the nearest bar
united in a wide semicircle
that makes the horns of the bull
while they manoeuvre and play,
do bet money on soccer teams
and just for pure fun
do shake dice and throw them out to roll.
Gert Strydom, 20 july 2016
This morning the sky glitters blue
This morning the sky glitters blue
as if it is made
from lapis lazuli
with a deep azure colour
and I do wonder
to where the grey clouds of last night is gone
but the wind
that had blown them away
is also missing
and the fragrance of flowers
hangs sweet in the air
and it seems
as if it is going to be a nice hot day.
Gert Strydom, 19 july 2016
You must not show any fear
(in answer to Yehuda Amichai)
You must not show any fear,
and have to have a tan
even if not using
the malaria tablets
that causes you to burn spots
(which I take anyway),
scared of fever, weakness
and death that comes without it.
You must not show weakness
and I am showering
in a hedged off shelter
pulling the string
from a bagged bottle,
being afraid that all of the country,
will wash away into the dark.
In the daytime I walk patrols with special force soldiers,
sometimes are flown in by chopper in for hot pursuit
on enemy tracks,
some nights are dropped by parachute from very high,
but tonight while the moon is rising big and white,
huge enough to inspect
the dark ditches, the valleys in it
I am showering in the middle of nowhere
in a small military base
and after the battle I came crashing down,
crashing down in myself,
start retching,
shaking without anyone noticing
but are still dedicated to staying alive
and people think of it
as the ordinary soldier thing.
[Reference: “You Mustn't Show Weakness” by Yehuda Amichai.]
Gert Strydom, 18 july 2016
My dear loving God
My God, who does have comprehension
for each thought, for every thing
that goes through my head,
who attentive like a father does see
how I cry and at times do sing
I ask you, where I now stand at a crossroad,
where in brokenness I do wander away from your law
that softly you will lead me back to the right way
and if you have to admonish me at times with love,
that you will draw me nearer even if I am contaminated by darkness
and will bring me to a way out (past every earthly restriction)
that with love you will wrap your arms around me
and where at times I do fall
that you will still straighten my ways
and your attentive glance will remain upon me
although you are at the other side of the universe,
that you will touch my heart and my desires
so that at a time I will also find rest
in a world where there is constantly conflict and discord.
Gert Strydom, 17 july 2016
Sad tidings
When uncle Henry
(who had been my father in law at the time)
did beat the last retreat
on the golf course
Riana & I had to hurry
to Barberton to mother in law
to assist with the funeral
and Riana & I had to constantly wash the dishes
and Riana & I had to prepare
food and refreshments
for the horde of guests
that came to the funeral,
we had to help with the funeral letter,
go along to the veterinarian
with the beloved dog of the deceased
and I had to dig a grave for that poor animal
as for that old madam
(who had been my mother in law)
the poor dog had to be buried as well
on the day that I helped to carry her husband’s coffin
to his grave.
Gert Strydom, 15 july 2016
Morning
When the early morning rays
captured the dawn sky
and it seemed
as if it is going to be another hot day
and the sun was changing from red to white
while trees did push up their fingers into the blue,
while the smell of flowers
did hang in a cloak around you
you did sit with me
and your eyes did distribute many kisses.
Gert Strydom, 14 july 2016
Mirror image
Maybe it is a problem
that I am robust, purposeful and independent
as I can be no mirror
that only does reflect
your own humanity, your own thoughts
and what man is
frozen & stainless & mute
& shut & transparent & servile
& distant & aplanatic
in how he does exist
and at times
it’s as if you do view me like a mirror
when you comb your hair in front of me
does unclothe and stretch out your body
and do think that your nakedness,
the glance in your eyes,
the expression on your face,
your legs and arms
and your breasts
do leave no impression upon me.
Gert Strydom, 13 july 2016
The sun hangs orange red
The sun hangs orange red
for moments
like the smashing sound of a gong
in the air
before it becomes white hot,
the screaming of plovers hover
long and stretched out
just as if somebody
has discovered their nests
and the black-collard barbet knocks
outside on the window
as if it wants to come in
and while I am still laying in bed
the world turns
and the new morning starts
outside around me.
Gert Strydom, 12 july 2016
Divorce V
When shattered our love
brought my world to pieces
from the fifteenth flour I looked to the sky above
saw below how the size of things with height decreases,
saw my wife embrace her lover,
thought of getting all things over
and my broken life and my fallen pride
rushed through my head,
with thoughts of suicide
and being dead
but somehow these thoughts were mad,
I did not think that she was really worth it
and although I was shattered and sad,
I walked away from the precipice bit by bit.
Gert Strydom, 12 july 2016
Divorce IV (Espinela)
Suddenly recalling the past,
as coming to life from within,
I dream of you against my skin,
feelings are in sheer contrast
but the summer days cannot last,
far too swift comes the early night
with flames dancing in the firelight,
I am lonely at the fireplace
while I remember your sweet face,
that disappears, are gone from sight.
Gert Strydom, 12 july 2016
Divorce III
When something did happen to my darling,
when wire upon wire
she die remove her web
and it had been over another man
the pain did let me forget
of how special it had been
to be loved by her
and as if there had never been
something beautiful between us
I wanted to find a thousand reasons
that it’s better
that she is out of my life.
Gert Strydom, 12 july 2016
Divorce II (cavatina)
I am grieved at that what you did do,
amiss our love
have been trampled into the very mud,
as to remove
that which had close bonded the two of us;
I disapprove,
calling upon all that is still holy,
as you are treating me very lowly.
Gert Strydom, 11 july 2016
Divorce
Too suddenly our time has passed,
memories do constantly
cling to me,
the things that is intimate between us
does not want to end easily,
there is treason in each word,
with dividing the only thing on which we do agree,
secretive your paramour waits
at whom I stare hostilely
as if I feel like killing him.
Gert Strydom, 10 july 2016
Respite
When the winter chill comes
with the transience
of each beautiful flower
in a own vulnerability
the winter rain pours down
as a kind of respite
for a time on every one.
Gert Strydom, 8 july 2016
At times we are only set on passing (American sonnet)
At times we are only set on passing,
without any place to stop or call home
and then we miss the smallest little things,
while it feels as if we do not belong,
as we are set, forever more to roam
as if we hear faint whisperings among
a myriad of people, with dusty loam
that sticks and clings to our very feet
and then we miss the small bird’s happy song,
see unfamiliar faces in those we meet,
in life we are constantly swept along,
as if the ocean has only some foam
and to it there is nothing really sweet,
at times we are only set on passing.
Gert Strydom, 7 july 2016
The peach tree
During the yellow-brown autumn season
leaves rain down in golden squiggles
retaining their own kind of smell,
as if the tree is still cherishing them
while the fallen leaves are turned into foil.
Plundered and stripped to a skeleton
the tree retains the revivalist energy
and in the beginning of spring
it is covered with new flowers
and with leaves that are appearing
Latest comments:
14 april 2024
violetta
Ładne
14 april 2024
Jest dla mnie wszystkim:)
14 april 2024
Jaga
Przymrozki zapowiadają ;)) Kwitnąca czereśnia
14 april 2024
Rośniemy wiosenną naturą :)
14 april 2024
Adam Pietras (Barry Kant)
Dzięki : ).
14 april 2024
Jeden drink potrafi wiele zmienić ; ).
14 april 2024
kalik
Szeroko, super!!!
14 april 2024
Bardzo ciekawe!!
13 april 2024
Piekne
13 april 2024
Whisky też bym się napiła :)
13 april 2024
Piękne odbicia :)
13 april 2024
Ile będzie pachnących czereśni :)
18 april 2024
Satish Verma
17 april 2024
wiesiek
17 april 2024
Jaga
17 april 2024
Satish Verma
16 april 2024
Jaga
16 april 2024
wiesiek
15 april 2024
Satish Verma
14 april 2024
wiesiek
14 april 2024
Satish Verma
13 april 2024
Jaga