When Sadness, Longing And Tears Let You Sigh Poem by Gert Strydom

(for Annelize)

Your voice on the telephone brings back memories
my heartache, how I miss you and also your laughter
when sadness, longing and tears let you sigh.

I cough away the lump in my throat
when your love that you do tell me about is perfect in line with mine
Your voice on the telephone brings back memories

where this contact over-bridge the separation of years.
While you tell me that you are cooking lentil-soup on your stove
when sadness, longing and tears let you sigh.

but without you even a palace is a hamlet,
when I am almost certain that at home you are burning incense.
Your voice on the telephone brings back memories,

past the screeching hadida-ibises fly high in the sky
but at night in my dreams your image keeps appearing to me
sadness, longing and tears let you sigh,

while there is nowhere to flee away from a virus
and I see flames shooting up as mother pokes the chimney-fire.
Your voice on the telephone brings back memories
when sadness, longing and tears let you sigh.