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May day, May day Kharkiv on fire!

Submitted by Ifeanyichukwu O... on Wed, 2022-03-09 01:31

A city once vibrant. Flourishing -

Now filled with pain and fear:
Desolate. Such that her belly is emptied: citizens on the run...

Emptied of families once gathered at dinner -

Laughter flowed freely when mouths fed at table -
Borsch and cutlets. Salo and kielbasa.

Where are they now?
Burrowed in bunkers? Or
Buried in rottenness?

Here lie dead bodies bloating on streets:
Russian birds spewed acids on them.

Z jets roared in her skies -
Like stars that died thousand years ago. Now down.
Now burnt.
Ashes and smokes: fatal losses -
Brave warriors of watch night hail!

May day! May day! They retreat! Like
A dog with tail between it's legs. Such that
May day happened in February
Enemy drained. War paused...

Drama of talks in field of play
Kaboom in a tete-a-tete
Cocktail of diplomacy. Pretense in display.

O ye corridor, can you grant me exit to safety?
Free from this cacophony:
This denazification. This demilitarization. This deceit
That gurgled our blood.

What will tomorrow unfold?
Thorns and roses or lilies -
Or basket of crimsoned hibiscus?

Dearest Iryna send in flowers from yonder:
Hordes of them to flood me. To fly
To your warm homely hands.

Last few words:

This poem is an account of the Russian invasion of Kharkiv, a city in Ukraine.

Editing stage:

Editing - rough draft

Content level:

Not Explicit Content

Comments

Geezer

Wed, 2022-03-09 08:00

I have been...

reading the poetic reporting of the invasion of Ukraine.
The images you present are devastating, but strangely appealing
at the same time. I am sure that one day, people will look upon these pieces
and say that; there was a man who understood that even death and
destruction deserve to be described in eloquent terms.

A couple of things I noticed:
1]. The word [lies] should be singular, delete the [s]
2]. Pretence should be spelled with an [s] instead of a [c]
3]. I would use a different word than [succulent], the use of which means
edible or sweet to eat. Something that doesn't quite fit your meaning.
Other than that, I absolutely love these poems. ~ Geez.
.

There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.

Ifeanyichukwu O...

Wed, 2022-03-09 08:37

Thanks immensely Geezer for

Thanks immensely Geezer for your quality inputs and appreciation of my poem. Let's lend our cries in solidarity against the carnage. Posterity will judge us better.

author comment

Candlewitch

Wed, 2022-03-09 08:07

hello friend,

it is a good thing to purge your thoughts and feelings on this horrific happening, by writing about it. it is definitely good therapy. how does one begin to get over something so appalling? I can't know exactly what you are going through, I can only imagine... my heart goes out to you and your people.

*hugs, Cat
p.s.
yesterday I was e-mailed a petition for President Biden to get more involved. I signed it and added my name on the list of supporters.

*
When someone reads your work
And responds, please be courteous
And reply in kind, thanks.

Ifeanyichukwu O...

Wed, 2022-03-09 08:41

Hi Candlewitch, it is

Hi Candlewitch, it is absolutely devastating what's going on there in Ukraine. One cannot imagine the pains of loss and despair of millions of families there and the rest of the world. This unnecessary war has got to stop.

Thanks for reaching out.

author comment

Jackweb

Fri, 2022-03-11 01:46

Powerful lines!

Nwanne, you lines is full of poetic energy! Personications and imagery used in the poem creates scene of uncertainty.

You have displayed your creative prowess here. I felt heavily for people of Ukraine.

"By virtue of creativity, my literary genre is poetry".

~Jackweb

Ifeanyichukwu O...

Fri, 2022-03-11 03:42

Hey Cosmos, thanks for

Hey Cosmos, thanks for reaching out and I appreciate your critique. Indeed, these are sad times for Ukrainians and the world at large. Our poetry reportage of the events is needed too you know. Let love and peace reign.

author comment

Neopoet

May day, May day Kharkiv on fire!