When Winter Comes Poem by Gert Strydom

(for Daleen)

When winter comes there is the silence
of the birds that did migrate
but in love the doves do coo on

but when winter comes to life
old age is a hard thing to live through
but worst than that is the winter of the heart

and yet overwhelming is the silence in it
when two lovers do forever part
and love's music is plucked from the soul.

Such cold acts and words
do send shivers down my spine
and loneliness is another thing

when all the world is happily experiencing bliss
and then the nightly silence
is almost deafening

when love do struggle not to die,
it's like bolts of thunder from a blue sky
suddenly making my ears sing

but the worst of it is
when you and your children are rid of me
like they tried for five years to be

and they have moved most of and the last of my things
under your own orders to be free
but you do return from your fiery anger and hate

to the woman who I did love
as if all the demons have been kicked out of your soul
and tell me that you do still truly love me

when divorced I do the utmost to avoid you
and you call to tell me my dog is mourning me to death
but between your sobs there are tears even in your breath.