The Necklacing (In Answer To Geoffrey Haresnape) Poem by Gert Strydom

The Necklacing (In Answer To Geoffrey Haresnape)



I saw people sending others into eternity
on that dark night
that we were on military patrol
in the black township

and there was evil, something inhuman
that had taken control of a crowd
who with their wicked grins and sneering leers
dragged seven tied men
and there was no salvation at hand
but for the guns of my men and I

and the struggling weeping victims
were pinned down, circled in a ring
with fuel been poured over them
and I heard fearful screams
and yelled at the group to stop
saw them dragging tyres nearer
lighting matches and fired
short bursts over their heads,
trying to stop the killing

and the fire roared,
a living person was aflame,
we had to save the others
and we took deadly shots at the killers
shattering the crowd
and one person was charred,
seven others were shot dead

six lay tied at our feet
shivering utterly soaked in fuel
and the stench of a fried human being
was everywhere, human blood flowed
in red little pools
and I was nauseas and started vomiting,
shivered while our military truck
and military support came to the scene.

[Reference: The Necklace by Geoffrey Haresnape.]

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Gert Strydom

Gert Strydom

Johannesburg, South Africa
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