Louw Wepener
When Wepener climbed mount Bosigo
the steel assegai points
glittered against the slope.
His rifle hit its own thunder
where he stood
against a horde of the enemy.
Shooting loading and shooting
while assegais shining
like falling rain from the air
and the Almighty
asked a brave man a sacrifice,
to like His Son carry a cross.
[Reference: Ter nagedagtenis van Kommandant Louw Wepener by F.W. Reitz. Assegai = A spear.]
poem by Gert Strydom
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Related quotes
Rain, rain falling
Rain, rain falling
from a thunder clad sky
with rockets, projectiles and blood
and the oncoming enemy
almost everywhere
in ironclad armour
coming to the day
of their slaughter
receiving sizzling thunder
to the tune
of howitzers, rocket trucks,
armoured cars and tanks
and rifle machineguns
and the Lomba River runs red
while there’s havoc everywhere
and the venom of vomit
fills my mouth
while I struggle to breathe
in the face
of annihilation
of a deadly enemy.
[Reference: Rain by Dikobe wa Mogale.]
poem by Gert Strydom
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Amakeia
Protected by the mountains
and covered by bushes
the ruin of an old farmhouse stands,
where the shadow
of the past
still falls heavy and menacing.
Lulling the old black house maid Amakeia
rocked the baby of a white pioneer
softly to sleep
and she was faithful
to her promise,
to try and raise the child.
When she discovered
that danger was sneaking nearer,
she went to hide
in the mountains
with the baby.
As the dark night came
the assegais rattled
against the shields
of a horde of Maxosas,
that jeered like animals
and gathered around the woman and child.
No pleading could stop the blades
where the woman with her body
tried to protect the child
and the wild savage war gang,
speared the woman and child
again and again.
When the winter wind cries in the Amatola cliffs
no devil can still hide there
and the song
of the old woman
cuts right trough marrow and bone,
while she sings
for the child to be silent
and the murder of woman and child
still hits right through
a nation of savages.
[Reference: Amakeia by A.G. Visser. An incident during 1834 war. Assegai = A spear.]
poem by Gert Strydom
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Blood River
They came in thousands
and their spear points glitter,
while the sun’s first rays
folds over the plain.
In the laager the men are drinking coffee
and are eating biltong and gather,
to read out of the bible
and to pray
and make a holy oath and covenant
with the Almighty God
to stop an overwhelming foe.
Out of the fog they rise
and the impi forms
in into all its battle lines,
like a storm sea
of which the waves gather ominous
to smash to pieces.
At every wagon there’s thorn branches
and four hundred and seventy Boer farmers
stand with their flintlock guns,
while the women and children
are melting lead at the fires
and they wait fearless on the enemy.
Their war cries hangs chilling
and Abatagati resounds
like thunder out thousands of mouths,
while the impi
storms in a killing frenzy to the wagons
and spears like a swarm of bees
fill the air
and descent deadly.
Shooting and loading
are repeated without end
and rifle barrels get red hot,
while thousands storm almost unstoppable
to spear and bash dead.
The Lord hears
and thousands are stopped
in their tracts
and before the dark night comes
the river’s water is blood
and on the battle field
three thousand Zulu warriors are dead
and Umhlela and Dambuza
and their whole impi,
is destroyed
and there is nobody
to return to Dingaan.
[References: Abatagati=> Kill the magicians. Dingaan=> Zulu king. Umhlela and Dambuza=>Captain’s of Dingaan.=> Dingaan’s generals. Impi=> Zulu army. At Isandlwana 1329 British soldiers died en and at Rorke's Drift eleven people were declared heroes and still they could not stop death against the Zulu impi. Only three Boer Voortrekkers were wounded at Blood River and they had faith in a Almighty God.]
poem by Gert Strydom
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Wishing on a shooting star
I wished upon a shooting star
As it went through the sky,
I wished upon a shooting star
As it shot right by.
I wished upon a shooting star
That my prayers would all come true,
I wished upon a shooting star
And then I thought of you.
I wished upon a shooting star
And noticed I was crying,
I wished upon a shooting star
And realized I was dying.
I wished upon a shooting star
But my wish never came true,
I wished upon a shooting star
And hoped it would get me through.
I wished upon a shooting star
That the she would still be there,
I wished upon a shooting star
That she would always care.
I wished upon a shooting star
Here in this night sky,
I wished upon a shooting star
That our love will never die.
poem by Xx Charmer Xx
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The Captain
It’s the third day of the battle
and around us there are enemy tanks
of which the canons keep clapping
and Stalin organ rockets
that falls at places among our men.
Next to me there’s a Captain
with a three day old beard
and his eyes is red of tiredness
while he gives instructions
over the radio.
We shoot till darkness
and through the night
and thunder clap flashes
keep on shooting
the enemy out.
The morning dawns
and the sun rises over the battlefield,
that is soundless and grim
and like two ghosts
we walk around in the bushes.
He wipes dust from his face
while we drive further
through the bushes
and we look out
from the top of the Ratel IFV
and in the distance,
a single rifle shot resounds
and the Captain is dead.
[Reference: Ratel IFV=> Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicle]
poem by Gert Strydom
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Achilles at Troy
The walls of the enemy city believed by them
to be made by the gods,
rise up in front of us
stripped, empty like hills,
looking impregnable
and higher up I see some archers
with their armour shining in the midday heat
rising bows and shooting arrows into the sky
believing, wishing and praying to hit one of us.
I drive with my chariot far out of their reach,
around and around the city, as if inspecting it
for any frailty, a place to penetrate with force
searching for Hector
while fierce fighting is going on
and anger, great rage roars within my heart
when at the main gate I stop and wait,
before roaring at the top of my voice
for Hector to come out, to face me.
My black steel shield, my black steel armour
my great spear, my bow and sword
are at the ready and I am implacable
watching, willing for the main gate to open
and see a lizard basking in the sun on a nearby rock,
as it probably has done since being born,
my heart is torn by the death
of my familiar one,
Patroclus my companion and friend
and in pain I roar again
calling Hector a coward and a fool
and my small army
of brave Myrmidons gather around me
heading of the enemy, killing scores of them
banging their swords on their shields
every time I call the name out
of the Champion of Troy
and like me they are ready to destroy.
Again I give reigns to the horses
driving at speed with my chariot
around the city inspecting
the fighting men more carefully
and nowhere I can see Hector,
nowhere I find him destroying our own
and on the third time
I spot him taking on three men
and killing them
and at speed jump from the chariot
with spear, sword and shield
and like a thunder falling from the sky
I land solidly right next to him
and he wards of my first, my second blow
even stopping my great spear
thrown with all my might,
but in the frenzy of it all
I see an opening made by his shield
and dropping my shield
with both hands directly
drive my sword in, in a stabbing blow
and catch him in the throat
leaping back picking up my shield and spear
and stab, stab from behind the shield
killing Hector with fierce blows
and I gather my great sword
drawing it from him
and tie him behind my chariot
before fully armed
I jump into it
and drive away
dragging the Champion of Troy
around and around the great
impregnable city while roaring
loud as thunder
with a blood bedecked spear above my head.
poem by Gert Strydom
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Shooting Star
Seen a shooting star tonight and I thought of you
Youre trying to break into another world
A world I never knew
I always kinda wondered if you ever made it through
Seen a shooting star tonight and I thought of you
Seen a shooting star tonight and I thought of me
If I was still the same, if I ever became what you wanted me to be
Did I miss the mark, overstep the line that only you could see
Seen a shooting star tonight and I thought of me
Listen to the engine, listen to the bell
As the last firetruck from hell goes rollin by
All good people are praying
Its the last temptation, the last account
The last time you might hear the sermon on the mount
Last radios playing
Seen a shooting star tonight slip away
Tomorrow will be another day
Guess its too late to say the things to you that you needed to hear me say
Seen a shooting star tonight slip away
song performed by by Bob Dylan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Wish
Staring into the night
Come on shooting stars
Let me with on you
Remove these scars
Come on rain
Pour down on me
Wash away my pain
Come on day
Take away the night
Come on future
Get rid of the past
Give me a fighting chance
Come on love
Give me something
Give me lust
Come on courage
Give me some life
Come on commitment
Give me forever
Come on beauty
Give me you
Hello thunder storm
Give me lighting too
Come on shooting star
I have all these wishes so far
Come on happiness
Give me you
Go away loneliness
Give me you
Take my money
Give me health
Go away hunger
Let them eat
Shooting stars i need you tonight
Before day light
Old School Shirt
Im just mad about my old school shirt
*the tales they are embossed
The things of all those kids and that old center school
*all those kids are last/lost
*them kids are last/lost
*theyre last/lost
Im just mad about that old radio
The tunes that it used to play
How come you aint singing now well
Did our voices get away
Well did they get away
Get away
Ill be shooting holes in the sky to make it rain, make it the same
Shooting holes in the sky once again.
Im just mad about all those people
Who came but did not stay
They sit so quietly my memories
Gone but not on me
Shooting holes in the sky to make it rain, make it the same
Shooting holes in the sky once again.
Shooting holes in the sky to make it rain, make it the same
Shooting holes in the sky once again.
Caught in a headlock, I wanted to be the same
Caught in a headlock, I wanted to be the same
Caught in a headlock, I wanted to be the same
Caught in a headlock, I wanted to be the same
Again.
song performed by by Gomez
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Shooting Star
All the people had their share of the glory
Looking out after you
Its just a story about winners and glory
And you know that its true
Ah ha, oh yeah, youre just a shooting star
Ah ha, oh yeah, youre just a shooting star
Some men may glory from a different condition
Of another car
And later persuasion would permit the arranging
Of a ...
And to cause more confusion, and to make this illusion
Would have gone too far
And its my ambition, of a jacket ignition
In a cadillac metal car
Ah ha, oh yeah, youre just a shooting star
Ah ha, oh yeah, youre just a shooting star
Ah ha, oh yeah, youre just a shooting star
Ah ha, oh yeah, youre just a shooting star
Youre just a shooting star
song performed by by Lou Reed
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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My Shooting Star
You are my shooting star so bright
Your smile gives me my life
You have taken me so far
Your only job: being my shooting star
You see no destination
Your love and pain; quite the combination
A lot easier it would have been
When I look back and realize when
You were my shooting star
Your love, I foolishly believed
I could keep
You changed my life so fast
Your encouraging me was by following no path
I knew the joy
Of an amazing boy
My shooting star
Knowing no distance; neither near or far
Shooting stars can be touched but never kept
And they can't love
I also will always know
The pain of letting one go
poem by Talisa Dee Whitmore
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A Shooting Star Flew By One Night
A shooting Star flew by one night
I wished upon its burning light
I wished for love to fill a heart
For love taken away in the dark
A Shooting Star flew by one night
I wished upon its burning light
My wish was answered by you and you
Who would have known the love of few
Would grow to heaven’s blue
A Shooting Star flew by one night
I wished upon its burning light
A knight in shining armor you might not be
A protector with strength and love you have given me
A Shooting Star flew by one night
I wished upon its burning light
Your love for us you have not failed
You took our hands and rode the Shooting Star’s tail
A Shooting Star flew by one night
I wished upon its burning light
Although I wished for many more
My love for you I will always adore
A Shooting Star flew by one night
I wished upon its burning light
May heaven bring us Peace
Your love for us will never cease
poem by Anthony Wayne Parran
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A Shooting Star Is Not A Star
A shooting star is not a star
Is not a star at all
A shooting star's a meteor
That's heading for a fall
A shooting star is not a star
Why does it shine so bright?
The friction as it falls through air
Produces heat and light
A shooting star or meteor
Whichever name you like
The minute it comes down to Earth
It's called a meteorite
song performed by by They Might Be Giants
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Brave Little Soldier
Im a brave little soldier
I must be bold and strong
A brave little soldier
And I must carry on
Im a brave little soldier
A brave little soldier
Im a brave little soldier
I must fight, I must win
Im a brave little soldier
Through hell and back again
Im a brave little soldier
A brave little soldier
Per rum, pum, pum
Per rum, pum, pum
Per rum, pum, pum, pum, pum
Ye though I am marching through the valley filled with fear
My steps are sure and sturdy and my aim is straight and clear
The enemy is stalking me just waiting for the kill
Like david slewed galiath
I will claim this battle field
Im a brave little soldier
I must do what I can
Im a brave little soldier
And I must take a stand
Im a brave little soldier
A brave little soldier
Marching, marching onward
Searching out the light of truth
I did not start the war
But its a battle I cant lose
Faith will be my armor
And love my sword and shield
I must defeat the enemy
I will, I will, I will
A brave little soldier
I must be bold and strong
A brave little soldier
And I must carry on
A brave little soldier
A brave little soldier
Im a brave little soldier
A brave little soldier
Brave, little soldier
song performed by by Dolly Parton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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When a man is shooting a handgun, it's just like he is shooting because that's his job, and he has no other choice. It's no good. When a girl is shooting a handgun, it's really something.
quote by Hayao Miyazaki
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Endorsed Remorse
He was not shooting at the people.
He was shooting at the world.
He wasn't shooting in specifics,
It was from a random frustration...
He unleashed to unfurl.
And everytime I hear these excuses,
Made in the defense of these social misfits...
I've come to realize how quick some are,
To apply their comprehension...
For a call for all,
To forgive their embarrassments!
He was not shooting at the people.
He was shooting at the world.
He wasn't shooting in specifics,
It was from a random frustration...
He unleashed to unfurl.
And psychologists are called,
To calm a public fed on decadence.
With attention to examine...
Their lifestyles spent in ignorance,
But no one should pay at their own expense.
And with accepted intelligence,
The media gives them time to explain...
How certain people amongst them live...
Suffer from stress,
That makes them temporarily insane.
He was not shooting at the people.
He was shooting at the world.
He wasn't shooting in specifics,
It was from a random frustration...
He unleashed to unfurl.
And the business of depicting their enemies,
Continues with alerted threats.
Yet no one with this deluded mindset,
Is described as a terrorist.
With a face splashed over the news,
With a demeaning of their ethnic heritage...
Exclaimed to diminish and to disrespect.
But...
He was not shooting at the people.
He was shooting at the world.
He wasn't shooting in specifics,
It was from a random frustration...
He unleashed to unfurl.
And all need to empathize,
In reminded sympathy
With the giving to him...
Our endorsed remorse.
Especially in 'his' hour of need!
'Huh? '
He is not responsbile.
Our lack to befriend him...
Has resulted in his acts.
'And the others? '
What about the others?
They have the look,
We have decided as guilt.
They have that guilty presence...
They and the rest of their ilk.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Sometimes a director is making three films. Perhaps he is shooting a film in Madras and a film in Bombay and he can't leave Madras as some shooting has to be done, so he directs by telephone. The shooting takes place. On schedule.
quote by Satyajit Ray
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Like The Rain
I never liked the rain until I walked through it with you
Every thunder cloud that came was one more I might not get through
On the darkest day theres always light and now I see it too
But I never liked the rain until I walked through it with you
I hear it falling in the night and filling up my mind
All the heavens rivers come to light and I see it all unwind
I hear it talking through the trees and on the window pane
And when I hear it I just cant believe I never liked the rain
Like the rain I have fallen for you and I know just why you
Liked the rain always calling for you Im falling for you now
Just like the rain
When the cloud is rolling over thunder striking me
Its as bright as lightning and I wonder why I couldnt see
That its always good and when the flood is gone we still remain
Guess Ive known all along I just belong here with you falling
Like the rain I have fallen for you and I know just why you
Liked the rain always calling for you, Im falling for you now
Just like the rain I have fallen for you
Im falling for you know just like the rain
And when the night falls on our better days
And were looking to the sky
For the winds to take us high above the plains
I know that well find better ways to look into the eye
Of the storms that will be calling
Forever well be falling
Like the rain I have fallen for you, and I know just why you
Like the rain always calling for you, Im falling for you now just
Like the rain I have fallen for you and I know just why you
Like the rain always calling for you, Im falling for you now just
Like the rain I have fallen for you and I know just why you
Like the rain always calling for you, Im falling for you now just
Like the rain
Like the rain
Like the rain
Like the rain
Like the rain
Like the rain
song performed by by Clint Black
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sonnets of the stone ruins
I
Long ago a mighty hunter
sailed on the river to look for medicine
and his canoe made from tree
was swept along with uprooted trees
by a river in flood.
He lost control over the boat
and in the distance
a thundering sound
hanged in the air
mighty smoke
rose ghostly out of the water
in a fine spray
and he could hear tons of water
flowing down a cataract.
II
While the canoe was spinning round
and round
he tied a long thin strong thong
to a arrow
and with all the power in his strong arms
he draws the bow’s string and set his aim
on a massive tree
standing on the shore.
The arrow caught speed
and hanged a moment in the grey air
before it hit the tree with great force
and the thong spanned stiff
and his arms with desperate power
overcame the river.
III
He passed the remains
of ancient mines
and villages declining
and overgrown by bushes
and suddenly there were rock walls and towers
and branches creeping
into the walls.
Cautiously he sneaked nearer
and shot a arrow through a spitting cobra
and suddenly a figure appeared behind a bush,
but before his rock could hit it
it disappeared into the nought
and against a niche another figure stared
deep into his thoughts
IV
When he stormed with assegai in his hand
onto that figure
it disappeared around a corner
into a dark passageway
and all at once
there was an animal with glowing eyes
breathing heavily in the dark in front of him
and he lifted his shield against it
And took a firm grip on the back of the spear.
With rotting breath and cruel anger
a lion leaped with stretched out claws
growling onto him,
but he was shield somewhat
While the assegai went deep past the animal’s ribs.
V
While the lion died in anger
the claws ripped deep into the hunter’s shoulder
and his sharp knife
slashed time after time
through the animal’s heart
and covered in blood
he came out
from under weight of the dead lion.
In horror he saw
the lion changing slowly
from animal to human
with a spear through his ribs
and a lion skin
around his shoulders.
VI
He was still busy
dragging the lion skin from the killed man
and felt the soft fur
in his hands,
when to more lions
in anger leaped on him.
It was too much for him
since both knife and spear
still wedged into the dead man
and with the fighting
he had lost
his bow and arrows
and he was cornered
by lions ripping from both sides.
VII
l’Envoi
It is told
than when the air is open
and the moon takes long to rise
a mighty hunter appears
with the rain gods
where they bash their shields
and spears against each other
and that the air
is now his hunting ground
You can see stripes of thunder
when his arrows with thongs
dropp down to earth,
before the new season’s
first raindrops fall.
[Reference: With thanks to “The ivory trail” by T.V. Bulpin that gave me the idea of this poem.]
poem by Gert Strydom
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Lucifer (in answer to N. P. van Wyk Louw)
Thus he rebelled without anyone stopping him,
wanted to put up his throne above, at times
equal to that of the almighty Creator
and approached others for this goal,
felt at times that his jealousy was noble
where he stood at the edge of the precipice
and thunder flashed ominous around him.
He dragged a third of once holy ones along
to all at once squander their lives,
joy, virtue and nobility
and along with them
later missed the glory, peace and love
of the heavens and knew
that he (the flaming son of the morning)
is trivial to the Most High (who is always honourable)
could not even stand in His shade
and through stars, he had torn, through the heavens
to declare war, as in his heart he wanted to win
as if insanity was eating through every reason and sensibility
and had destroyed his nobility.
When he stood alone in front of Michael and thunderbolts,
suns and comets was thrown at him
at supreme command, he new pain and misery
was banned from heaven, with all of his rebellious team
was crackled down in flames
and in his heart he had to admit that it was just,
that he could not give life to anything
and could not comprehend or have love anymore,
as might, his splendour,
his own power had overwhelm him
and then he could still fall on his knees and beg for mercy
but he was far too proud for it
and he wanted to take revenge on the Almighty One
where he cunningly deceived man
and got some more victims for his own punishment
but for man God himself came to pay the price,
Lucifer was convinced that death on the cross
was the end of God, as God had become man,
in his heart Lucifer thought that he had won
and when God rose staying available for man
Lucifer could still not comprehend or explain love
or what it is to as God have the power to life.
[Reference: Lucifer by N.P. van Wyk Louw.]
poem by Gert Strydom
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