Gert Strydom, 27 may 2014
My Lord, there is something sad
that I want to bring to You
and its clear to me
that You do already know of it
and also about it’s extend.
At the theological seminaries of some universities
there are learned people
who want to find You
with pure logic and ancient research
and now there are some of them that do claim
that You did not rise from the grave.
In my simplicity I do wonder my God,
how people try to find you only in their books
and research
while You do stand outside of everything
and Your own words do determine
all things miraculously
outside the scope and limitation
of human science?
Sadly everything comes to an empty nothing
when there is no relationship with You
and the lives of people do end in nihilism.
Gert Strydom, 27 may 2014
The sun flees confused
but you are in my heart
and I am fulfilled this winter
while the winds are howling outside
and you do grow into me
while the clouds blot the sun out,
rain sieves down continually
and you do bless me with enthusiasm,
and of time I do not take any notice.
Gert Strydom, 26 may 2014
My Lord, You do know all of the masks that I wear for the world
and also all of the things that are hidden deep in my heart.
My deepest secrets are known to You
and even the things that I do not want to admit to myself.
Gert Strydom, 26 may 2014
While we walk around the church,
I tread on the lawn at the painted flint-glass windows
and see her calves with three doves as her company,
there is some gravel, in the distance a train whistles.
With a reaching hand Jesus hangs on a cross,
He is vituperated where blood flows down in a puddle.
She takes my hand while we walk all over the garden
and fear is seen, like it was at the time.
Still she holds onto my hand while bees turn around us,
branches swing in the wind and the sky is dull blue,
some drops of dew glistens and the lawn is cleanly cut
and her eyes shine while she holds onto my hand.
Gert Strydom, 26 may 2014
(after Jules Laforgue)
The rain is sifting down for days now,
how depressing, the rain is, lover.
On the sea there’s no ship to be seen,
only the grey sky and sea not even a bird.
At dusk no couples are passing,
only a car or two sprays water.
A girl with a big black dog passes
and they look cold and wet.
What a sorry sight while she sneezes
and both are shivering.
What is it with her? She is running
right into the ocean!
She drags her dog along,
flinging herself into the sea.
There’s no one to rescue her
or the drowning dog.
The lights all over the suburb
is flickering on in this cosy town.
How depressing, the rain is, lover.
The rain is sifting down for days now.
[Reference: Sundays by Jules Laforgue.]
Gert Strydom, 23 may 2014
Sometimes I want to know the reasons why from You
when it feels as if You are forgetting me in Your ultimate plan
and there is no deliverance or light that I do see,
when it feels as if everything is resting on a big perchance
and maybe people did feel like this from the time of Adam
while time was running away from them
and when I do fall I ask You for new hope,
that You do continue to walk ahead on the road of life
and my Lord, when it goes difficult on some days
show me where You are still standing next to me.
Gert Strydom, 23 may 2014
(after Dante Gabriel Rossetti)
How will I explore the depths of love,
through its difficulties to the shore move
on the pathways that to me are not trod
if our sincere feelings is not from God?
Lady, I cannot strip your soul from mine
or live without you, this bond is divine.
Love sincerely binds together evermore,
cause two people to together explore
the days and wonders and the pains of life
both in happiness and in times of strive.
Lady, I cannot strip your soul from mine
or live without you, this bond is divine.
Between us there is ample evidence,
that our feelings are grounded and intense,
daily with each other feelings are dear
past hope, past joy and pass all kinds of fear.
Lady, I cannot strip your soul from mine
or live without you, this bond is divine.
[Reference: “Heart’s hope” by Dante Gabriel Rossetti.]
Gert Strydom, 22 may 2014
Man
friendly, excited
scheming, hunting, working
woman, vehicle, job, house,
motor-biking, parachuting, scuba-diving
devoted talented
life.
Gert Strydom, 22 may 2014
(in answer to Peter Levi)
If you imagine a created place
where God had never been,
then you imply that God is not God
and there is something that He has not seen.
If you imagine such a place,
then you do not acknowledge
God as the creator, you are no different
from scientists with human knowledge
who set off all things to mere destiny,
to a unknown energy that did not exist,
that exploded in a big bang
and have by mere chance become the world that is.
Where does God then in the picture
that you are drawing fit?
If God is not God,
and if He isn’t in any of it?
[Reference: “I imagine where God has never been” by Peter Levi.]
Gert Strydom, 22 may 2014
(with apology to Daniel Hugo)
My little buck I am wooing you
- my prints lay - right over the sand dunes -
with unmeasured brazenness
you are already sighing with regret
- trembling from my first glance -
while I keep myself converting sober
but then suddenly become shy:
darling, you walk right into my trap.
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