Phenomenon Poem by Gert Strydom

How dark the night has become
that even the Southern Cross fades away
for hours before daybreak

and with it all the other stars are gone
as if this darkness swallows everything
and even the moon is under siege

and stargazers wonder what awaits humanity
while the darkness challenges their science and equipment
and how dark night has become.

No science can explain it and there is something unreal
from which this darkness comes that even conceals the sun
as if this darkness swallows everything

and this phenomenon draws the attention of the whole of humanity
and there are politicians making wild theories
for hours before daybreak

and religious leaders get upset
since the secular world does not comprehend the impact
from which this darkness comes that even conceals the sun

and they lay charge after charge
and there are deliberated with the key question:
how dark the night has become?

Preachers rise and are convinced that man does not serve God right
and that judgement is at hand
since the secular world does not comprehend the impact

and that something is going to hit earth with a bang
and the destiny of man is loudly lamented
for hours before daybreak

as if God is deciding the lot of man,
as if the universe has come to a standstill
and the judgement is at hand

and people even think of an outer space invasion
and alarmed they drive up and down.
How dark the night has become
for hours before daybreak

and the darkness just keeps on and on
and with it all the other stars are gone
as if the universe has come to a standstill
and even the moon is under siege.