Homecoming Poem by Gert Strydom

The gravel crunches under my boots
like it does
when you’re near to home
and take a shortcut over the tracks
of a railway station
and I see my train
disappear in the distance.

In the other world
there were bushes,
a lot of gnats
red brown sand that clings to everything,
shot out ruins
that was once living places
and at a place a town
and like weeds the enemy
sprung up at any place
and brought destruction.

It’s as if this world
did not change
and at the Greek’s cafe
children are playing video games
and I buy a ice cold Coke
and the people greet me
like a long lost hero
and in front of the Checkers and OK
there are rows of cars
and at the hotel’s bar
I hear men laughing
while they are playing darts
and the owner comes out
and presses an ice-cold Castle in my hand
and strange girls pass
and smile.

Still the war rides me
and my life’s end was just to near
and I wonder why destiny
let some die in a back world?

Maybe things turn around
about what you make of life
and everyone’s time is destined
and while I walk down the road,
a red Toyota comes around the corner
and it breaks
and my girlfriend is in my arms.