Gert Strydom Poems

Against the wall a lantern is burning
and the wick is turned high
making it flame brightly
and the thatched roof farmhouse
...

An AK-47 submachine gun shoots stammering,
a rocket propelled grenade whooshes past
and I am in the middle
of another country’s civil war
...

There was a man they called Stan the ducktail,
a well build biker with very long hair,
his real name could have been Sam
or Dick or Dirk
...

I am standing for a return
to the mighty Bible
which our forefathers tried to obey,
for every Afrikaner to pray
...

In every dream you are with me,
when I open my eyes I am longing
and nights fly past far too quickly.
In every dream you are with me.
...

With change comes pain, branches hit on the roof
where at a time you could sit on the porch,
the garden is falling into disrepair, with weeds everywhere,
roses and lavender bushes are only growing at places
...

The old dentist waits;
quickly
children scuttle off.
...

In hot Namakwaland
small flowers blanket the ground,
everywhere seeds sprout
turning the world beautiful
...

(in answer to Johan Steyn)

I. In the times that we live
...

On a autumn day in the time
that it takes to park a cream coloured car
a devastating ball of fire, of flame
detonates shattering
...