High Summer Poem by Gert Strydom

(for Daleen, after Rita Mouton)

Like every other afternoon the thunder roars,
I notice blue-white flashes coming down closer and closer,
while outside the Redbreast sings and rejoice and dance
when the rain at first drip and then pours down
and I smell the wet earth like new life,
it's as if you are right here with me
where right through the rain the doves coo
and in my heart it's also high summer,
there is a song of love and hope
while water pours down the windowpanes.

I write to you a verse
about a sunny summer that I do remember,
when you were with me at Ballito
where the dolphins in deep jump over the waves,
where we hiked miles every morning together
and your lips were soft under mine,
the days were almost endlessly long
and your eyes were sunny and big
where I do remember all of this
while water pours down the windowpanes.

Tonight when the darkness do come suddenly
and clouds do cover the stars where they hang
the moon will big-eye break through
and it's a while nearer
to when another summer will come for us
with days full of nice sunshine
and rain in the afternoon
while water pours down the windowpanes.

[Reference: "Seisoene" (Seasons)by Rita Mouton.]
© Gert Strydom