Gert Strydom, 14 may 2015
I am weak but when You are with me I am mighty
and I am bound by my own insecurity
by the terrible things that life does bring
but when You are with me I am totally free,
free from each and every worry
and Lord, with You beside me
there is nothing that I cannot overcome
and then I am the man that I am supposed to be.
Lord, You do lift me up from where I do fall
and with You beside me I am tall,
while You do straighten the way
and all of my troubles seem insignificant small
and Lord, You are my only friend
when all others do me forsake
and You do see me through to the end
and do my own part take
with you love, power and dignity.I am weak but when You are with me I am mighty
and I am bound by my own insecurity
by the terrible things that life does bring
but when You are with me I am totally free,
free from each and every worry
and Lord, with You beside me
there is nothing that I cannot overcome
and then I am the man that I am supposed to be.
Lord, You do lift me up from where I do fall
and with You beside me I am tall,
while You do straighten the way
and all of my troubles seem insignificant small
and Lord, You are my only friend
when all others do me forsake
and You do see me through to the end
and do my own part take
with you love, power and dignity.
Gert Strydom, 13 may 2015
(after Dorothy Parker)
You do not know
how much I care
about the little things that lays me bare
as love at times come and again go
and sometimes it is in happiness or sometimes woe
while my sincerity is always there,
love is a thing at which I still have to dare
and it’s not always constant even if I want it so
and sometimes I am again on my own
while love flies like a bird away
and even when I do not want it like this
my beloved’s heart at times turns to stone,
while at times it’s a great happy day
and this is the way that life and love is.
[Reference: “A Portrait” by Dorothy Parker.]
Gert Strydom, 13 may 2015
The morning sun hangs bright
over the city,
in a light blue sky
and False Bay, the big flat old mountain
and the ocean is a hue
of navy blue
while I land only for a visit.
Reflecting window doors open
by themselves as if magically
revealing a land of wonder
where the wind bristles through my hair,
hawkers, car guards gather
like a flock of flies buzzing everywhere
and thinking that I missed you,
you fail to turn up
I walk to a waiting taxi
and suddenly like a materializing angel
you are there in sheer beauty,
running up to me, into my arms
and it feels as if I haven’t been gone,
as if this city could again be home.
Gert Strydom, 12 may 2015
While the inhabitants of this planet do still rebel
as for centuries their ancestors have done
under Lucifer and his forces of hell
the great Creator does not expel
one single one
and his Word and his works does of his kindness tell
but at a time there is a limit set
that is to mere man unseen
where every word, deed and ill
is being met
by the righteous boundary between
God’s mercy, His wrath and His goodwill
and to cross that line means an end,
an end to that, which does exist,
even if we do not witness it
and do at ease with our conscience insist
that the laws of God we may bend
and slowly do stray bit by bit.
Yet time has not run out
to change our lives from sin to love,
to repent and be sincere and true,
to let Jesus remove
that which we cannot and to bring about
the change in what we say and do.
Gert Strydom, 12 may 2015
The Son of God who became a human being
did walk upon the water of the Sea of Galilee,
when He came to set all men free
from sin and His love still is something amazing
and when I hear the birds sing their praises in spring
then I see the One who made things like they are supposed to be
and the humiliation of that dark Calvary does stay with me
as humanity’s most terrible crushing thing
but although the Prince does not walk on this earth anymore
He still at times comes visiting in disguise
and when a poor beggar knocks at the door
I do some great caution exercise
as Jesus does change lives from what they have been before
and in that wretched man the Lord God I might just recognize.
Gert Strydom, 20 april 2015
Be a love to me and Come live with me
and I swear by God in the sky above
that I will be true to you
and we will wander out to sea
sit on the rocks, witness the how the waves
knocks, splash thundering
and only you and me
will hear the seagulls sing.
Come live with me, be a love to me
and I swear by God in the sky above
that I will be true to you.
Gert Strydom, 17 april 2015
Tonight phosphorescence
is present over your body
while we walk in shorts
under a golden moon
and it is as if every firefly
is focusing
its tiny beam of light upon you
and your blouse glimmers
almost see-through
and there’s dozens of little lights
glittering in your hair
as if they are also flying there
and the sparkle in your eyes
outshines the stars
and your tender lips
are sweet beneath mine
and it feels as if I am dreaming
that a girl so divinely lovely is mine.
Gert Strydom, 16 april 2015
Your dad says proudly that he did design you himself
and your eyes, nose and mouth are genetically from him.
Your mother says that she is your own breeding machine,
the paediatrician says that you may go home tomorrow
and it is much more than just a maybe.
I am astounded by you small long body
where you are laying in a glass box with a blue light
and we would not want it any different
where you are growing at the speed of wind
and your eyes are covered by minutely small sunglasses
against the sharp light that is blinding you
and your grandmother wants to pull you much closer.
Fragile and brittle you lay and wait
where the machine is doing its work to the following day.
Gert Strydom, 15 april 2015
I do like appreciation
and of it I can never get enough.
Not just to say thank you
but to know that you are thinking of me.
As a mark of your love
it can forever stay with me
and I do like your words:
“you are everything to me.”
But I also believe in deeds
that can gladden my heart
if you can
just give me something
that I know comes from your heart
-to treasure and to keep-
and it will bring you nearer here to me.
Just any thing that you do possess,
even if it is small in value
to me is more than anything here on earth
and I am asking
for something to express your love for me.
Gert Strydom, 14 april 2015
Though the night passes too soon
and the brightness of the moon
fades too quickly with day’s light,
stars disappear
as if they are not anymore shining bright
to you I will forever be near
while you hold me dear
and my loving will not be roving,
but will be true and sincere.