Gert Strydom Poems

The blue water stretches
as far as visibility allows to see
and there’s fog
rising white before the storm
...

Out of the fog
its peaks rose
from ancient times
and it’s flat top
...

Today part of my life is shattered
and lay in pieces
like a pane of broken glass.
...

Crow flew up into the air
looking, always searching
with a keen eye
roving down to earth from the sky
...

The fire in the holed drum burns bright
and I can see red coals flickering
like the shining stars up in the sky
and white teeth smiles at me
...

Bouncing buoyantly, rushing along
the young African baboon
greyish-brown with a green tint
came to the fence of the game reserve
...

The fire-lily flowers flaming and bloody red,
the crooked-thorn-bush is thrown over
and between all the incinerated stalks stand
this fire-flower so prettily adorned
...

On a cruel cross Lord, my sins became Thine
and were all the riches and power of nature mine,
nothing would befits You as a gift
and never could I repay a love so unblemished and divine.
...

(After Dylan Thomas)

Time held me
while I was still young and green
...

With you my life goes up and down
and there is never a silent kind of time,
while you are my very own
and like a rose in its prime
...