Gert Strydom Poems

When He walked into the temple
with His whip slashing like rifle shots
He did drive away the deceitful moneychangers
and they were men who treaded on others to make a profit.
...

(in answer to Cornelius van der Merwe)

You who are a eternal Sheppard
do witness how evil the things are in this country,
...

It's as if every yesterday do today come back to me,
there is a mystic message in every flower
and through the eons You do to me talk.
When the chrysalis becomes a living butterfly,
...

(after C. J. Langenhoven)

Now each person is self-focused and keeps longing
and yearning for better days while destiny hangs over the future.
...

My God, out of many nations You did lead our nation
to eternally stay followers and servants of You.
Out of the Netherlands, from the Flemish, out of Germany and France
where our forefathers as protestants faithful did not want to deviate from You
...

When the monarch of Moab
did go to the fortune teller Balaam at Pethor
who did possess extraordinary occult powers
they did persuade him to curse Israel,
...

(for Daleen)

As memories of you forever live on
even when from you I am at times gone
...

(for Daleen)

To you in body, soul, spirit and heart I am knit,
an inner tranquillity through your eyes does shine.
...

(Written to A on 3 April 1988, after Ingrid Jonker)

The umbrella thorn bush memory
cannot bring you back to me
...

(for Daleen)

With you I am on new unknown ground,
when the sun raises red there is new hope,
...