If No Love Were Present (Sonnet Sequence) Poem by Gert Strydom

1
If no true love were present in my heart
letters and poems to you would be un-writ,
candles in the bathroom would be unlit,
and like you want to we would be apart.

Without love there would be very little art;
my own soul would die bit by tiny bit,
and here of my feelings I do admit.
The utmost days of great dearth would then start,

without the principles of love and care,
the most mean and fittest would survive
into mere chaos the world would decay,
no real beauty would be found anywhere,
while without out meaning would be all life,
nothing would the violence and rage stay.

2
Nothing would the violence and rage stay,
if love did not man from evil ways raise
and from my heart I do tell you today,
that through the many years I brought you praise,

but now I do you in my own life miss
after you did put our marriage on hold.
Apart no marriage can function like this,
the little things that love bring is manifold,

and now I can pray for a change to come,
that at heart you would be longing for me,
as without love life is truly gruesome
where we both want it wonderful to be,

plainly said: I do still truly love you,
daily I pray for you to love me too.
© Gert Strydom