Home-Coming Poem by Gert Strydom

1
When the lock of the back door have been replaced,
the gutter's shiny down-pipe hangs on its place,
the pipes in the roof that want to leak are repaired,
the flour tiles stop wanting to shift around,
will I then stop longing for you?
2
Like the two canvases that wait white on the easel
on paint and paintbrushes to become paintings,
I feel empty without contact with you.
3
How do I measure it? This thing that people call longing?
I, man alone at times, always 85kg without a scale?
I see the leaves fall and know that the autumn and winter is coming.
4
The gate slides open and with quivering it welcomes me,
there are roses flowering and pots waiting on the watering can,
the place in the garage for my car is open,
three dogs do welcome me with crying-barks at the small gate,
little Fiefie screams and do rejoice and you that come to me.

[Poet's note:In the Southern Hemisphere of the earth the seasons are opposite to those in the Northern Hemisphere.]