The Carnival Of Joy Poem by Gert Strydom

One early Old Year’s Day
when the southeaster blew
with all of its ferocity
the murky sky the murky bay
was filled with gloom
and almost bloodthirsty you looked at me,
without any sincerity,
with anger and maybe a little bit of hatred

and you did not say a final goodbye
and I had lost you that afternoon
and felt empty, lost without a cause
as if all my living was finished and done
and as if everything good was gone
and I was forlorn and shattered.

Early on the New Year’s Day
when the emerald ocean lay
stretched out in tranquillity
as far as the eye could see
with crystal clear waters

people from the carnival
danced on banjo and guitar tunes
marched past in bright coloured uniforms,
and I found peace in the festival of happiness,
celebrating the New Year in,
that was demonstrated how great,
how utterly good
it was to be living.