Girl Poem by Gert Strydom

At the Union buildings, in Pretoria
the sun was setting
and that winter night was freezing
at the begging of dusk

and I took some photographs
of the buildings lighting up
of the city's winking eyes awakening

and the wind was cutting right through
my leather jacket
and down below
an old black lady
was collecting
her framed photographs
which she was selling to tourists

when almost unseen a coloured girl
in a bright blue flimsy dress
stepped out and approached her.

The first stars
were only beginning to shine
and it was surprising to me
to see the old lady
giving money to the girl
who was dressed in summer clothes

and the wind brought the sound of their voices
right up to me
and I heard the old lady instructing her
to buy a bread and a carton of milk,
not to sleep in the gardens
beneath the stars
as danger was lurking in the city
with criminals ready to rob and rape
and from that scene
I can still not escape.