Gert Strydom Poems

(after John of the Cross, after Roy Campbell)

The spring from where all life does flow is hidden
but I do know where it bubbles up to the surface
...

(After John of the Cross, after Roy Campbell)

where this God is loving,
is kind and graceful
...

(after Teresa of Avila, After John of the Cross)

Daily I die of my self, of my own will,
while You do live inside of me
...

(after Bábá Kúhí of Shiraz)

In the veldt among the birds,
wild flowers and trees,
...

(for Annelize)

Through the years alone I did walk a long road
with love, mercy and God's favour and hope for the two of us,
...

I
When the red-day comes I do pray
let your light and love come to the hearts,
when I do cover my face with my own hands
...

If only I did comprehend
how destructive and without return
that dead would be
I would have restrained my wife Eve
...

In the garden Eve had to guard against the snake
but his frisking game she found glorious and good,
on his insistence she picked the fruit, took a bite of it,
did suddenly get overwhelming courage
...

Giant powerful Hercules could believe that he
could set aside old age, that healing would come
if he could get some apples
and that the most beautiful woman would be true to him.
...

With the setting sun
our dog has puppies
and gets five of them under a bush
(perfect tiny Jack Russell’s)
...