Gert Strydom, 27 december 2015
You are my darling, my wife,
the one with whom I walk through life,
the one that is mine, my inspiration and hope,
the one that holds me tight against her breast
and when you are right against me, it is as if I do behold myself
in your gaze and at times I am stripped from my own conceit,
when we do have deep conversations with each other and with God
and I do wish that which you are for me would never abate,
that each and every day will just bring bigger understanding of each other
as you have grown into to me and are a part of my flesh
and I do know you, do know what you are thinking even before you do talk
as you are my magic potion, the best part of my life and my healing,
you are the one that have ideals of what I can become,
the one that creates a place of peace for me in a world full of hatred.
Gert Strydom, 24 december 2015
the shepherds did see
that night a strange star in the sky
where they tended their flocks roaming free
and flashing bright like lightning on the eye
an angel appeared in great glory
and afraid to die
they met the messenger from God
who brought good news to all mankind
and all men where brothers even the stranger
when the angel told them to find
a baby wrapped in clothes in a manger
who is Jesus Christ the saviour
and a multitude of angels did appear
while the song resounded on the ear:
“glory to God in the highest and on earth
peace to men on whom his favour does rest”
and the shepherds had great cheer at the birth
of the child who did love without self-interest
and round and round their flock did trot
where they had left them without care
to find the son of God and of man
in a stable round pots of earthenware
and so the world’s redemption began
while their great news they did share
and the world was different from before.
Gert Strydom, 23 december 2015
Last night I dreamt of you,
waking up in sorrow
from a fitful sleep
while you slowly faded away
like the night
with the beginning of the new day
and there was rain pattering down,
with a fresh smell
almost like that of making love
with clouds milling in the sky above
and every now and then
a thunder cracked down
blazing with intense light
and I thought that your smell,
the warmth of your body
was still lingering,
was still here with me in the room
and I walked into the cold wet night
to bathe my face and body,
to get my head clear
and still you felt near.
Gert Strydom, 22 december 2015
There had been a night
that the darkness
did really shake her cloak
and hundreds of stars
fell out of the heaven
drawing lines in the sky,
the moon did hang red like blood
and blotted with the sun
in did flee away into the darkness
and people did notice these things,
did trust in the predictions
about these events
as if the coming of the Master
is right at the door
and sometimes I do wonder
when I look at this old world:
where are we now?
Gert Strydom, 21 december 2015
I had dreamt of you
living in a world
where skies are always blue
and you loved me
with a kind of sincerity
and we had much joy
as just a girl and a boy,
had a kind of innocence
while our thoughts
whirled up like incense.
Your smile radiated like the sun
while you loved me like your only one
and our companionship was sweet
while butterflies fluttered at our feet.
You kissed me with sheer bliss
and there was magic in this
but I had to go then
back to the world of men
as promises I had to keep
in a world full of pain and strive
and I was devoid of further sleep,
I was devoid from you in my life.
Gert Strydom, 20 december 2015
At night the mind plays its tricks
reliving situations from days gone bye
as soon as there’s darkness in the sky
and sleep heavies the eyes
dreams bring out their gimmicks
of loves lost and wars past
but I would rather dream
of only you
of the sky blue
and how lovely it is
to be true
and trying to make it last.
Gert Strydom, 18 december 2015
The flames in the fireplace make tongues
and we are dancing slowly
while the candles are burning intimately
and are throwing long shadows
and your eyes glow large,
you look innocent
and it does feel as if the whole world
is laying open before us
and I feel the artery
beating in your neck,
your perfume fills my nose
and there is something very deep
that I do read in your golden eyes.
Outside the branches of the avocado tree
Is beating on the roof
and time is busy
growing its own wings
but inside you and I dance
as if free from all things.
Gert Strydom, 17 december 2015
At Klipdrift military base
just outside Potchefstroom
where now the kaki bush,
other weeds and grass are knee high
through ash holes, rubbish, broken glass
barbwire, tins and stones we went
with fire in movement exercises
and live ammunition fired over us.
We ran, cat walked, leopard crawled
and was sent to and fro
with bullets hitting up dust around us
and some grenades were tossed
a distance away.
The very next day my left knee
was busted good and well
and when I reported sick
the PTI-corporal
almost busted his gut
and touched the crossed swords
on his arms
and told me if by any chance
I came out of the sickbay that day
he would see to it
that I would really take a beating.
The doctor at the sickbay,
called in another one
and yet another one
and the three of them
didn’t want to treat me
and said that there was a big chance
of me losing my knee
which was swollen like a rugby ball
and they sent me by ambulance
straight to One Military Hospital
at Voortrekkerhoogte in Pretoria.
I was wheeled into casualties,
where I had to wait some time
while shot up people
flown in straight from the war
was treated first.
When they finally got to me
they took one look at the leg
and wheeled me into
an operating theatre
where they asked
if I wanted to walk again?
I just said heal me
and they removed my uniform,
strapped me down
with bands around my feet
hands and legs
and gave two injections
just above the knee cap
and said that it was local anaesthetic
but wouldn’t help much
and that nothing would really
take the pain away
of the next procedure.
They pushed a big syringe
with a large needle
in under my knee cap
and the pain was great
as they pulled out puss
but I didn’t make a sound
while tears of pain
were in my eyes.
The laboratory identified
the infection that I had
and they said that I have got
septic arthritis
and everything was swell
while I got a drip
with the right antibiotics
and some pain killers,
watched television from a set
on the wall,
had my own radio
to choose music from
and could even order
from a menu
and it was like staying
in a great hotel
where they fixed me properly
and after two weeks
that was like a holiday
I walked out of there.
[PTI=Physical training instructor.]
Gert Strydom, 16 december 2015
I. Solitary
There’s a solitary bird
sitting in the berry tree
as if watching me
and every now and then
pecks a few, before looking again
and it comes daily
and maybe now
sees me as its friend
and I watch it eating
with the sun glittering
on its green feathers
and its long tail
swishing up and down
and when I look away
I do hear it calling, calling
as if trying to attract my attention
as if seeing me looking
holds something of company for it.
II. The going
Why did you not make me aware
that never again
I would see you there
in the berry tree
from early morning
singing from dawn to dusk.
You were chirping and indifferently fluttering
like every other day
and I did not realise
that you were going away
with the setting sun
and now any movement
in the berry tree
catches me to see you,
but only to realize
that a sparrow
is also hungry.
Gert Strydom, 14 december 2015
While the year hangs skeleton
in this winter
there are sparrows, starlings
and doves catching my eyes
and from somewhere
a squadron of weavers suddenly does arrive
that descends on the seed
that I have spread
like a hungry crowd out of the sky
that does sing jubilant
while they eat the seed
and I know
that the Lord does also
stretch out His hand
with wonderful things for me.
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