He moved his elderly mother.
To Dnipro last year.
Believing it to be a safer place.
To live during the war.
On Saturday 40 people.
Were killed in the strike.
He is a son in search of his mother.
Who is still missing.
A bright, family kitchen in Ukraine.
Was exposed to the world.
When an ‘orcs’ missile strike tore off.
Its external wall.
The apartment was home to well known.
Boxing coach.
Who was killed in Saturday’s attack.
His wife and children reportedly survived.
The devastating strike hit.
The entrance of a nine-storey building.
Turning several floors.
Into smouldering rubble.
A sizeable crowd gathered to watch.
The rescue effort at the site of the strike.
While others joined rescue workers.
In a desperate search for survivors.
There were urgent calls.
Human chains of volunteers.
Clearing rubble and torch beams.
Piercing thick clouds of dust and smoke.
The everyday domesticity.
Of the cosy kitchen is framed by.
The sudden and total devastation.
Delivered by an ‘orcs’ attack.
The modern-looking kitchen.
With bright yellow cupboards.
Remained remarkably intact after the strike.
Despite the total destruction of its external wall.
A bowl of apples sits on the table.
Dishes lie next to the sink.
Waiting to be washed and.
Oven gloves still hang neatly from a line of hooks.
“Here people cooked.
Had kitchen conversations.
Celebrated holidays.
Laughed, argued,” Kyiv MP wrote.
She compared the destruction of the building.
To the fate of her country:
“These are the wounds on the body of Ukraine.
Wounds on our homes.”
In a video published online and reposted.
By Ukraine’s armed forces.
A young girl smiles as she is presented.
With a huge birthday cake.
And blows out her four candles.
The same yellow cupboards are clearly visible.
As are the oven gloves.
And television on the wall.
A bright, family kitchen in Ukraine.
Was exposed to the world.
When an ‘orcs’ missile strike tore off.
Its external wall.
The apartment was home to well known.
Boxing coach.
Who was killed in Saturday’s attack.
His wife and children reportedly survived.
The devastating strike hit.
The entrance of a nine-storey building.
Turning several floors.
Into smouldering rubble.
A sizeable crowd gathered to watch.
The rescue effort at the site of the strike.
While others joined rescue workers.
In a desperate search for survivors.
There were urgent calls.
Human chains of volunteers.
Clearing rubble and torch beams.
Piercing thick clouds of dust and smoke.
He moved his elderly mother.
To Dnipro last year.
Believing it to be a safer place.
To live during the war.
On Saturday 40 people.
Were killed in the strike.
He is a son in search of his mother.
Who is still missing.
The strike in Dnipro killed 40 people.
The victims included three children.
With more than 30 people still.
Unaccounted for on Monday evening.
In his evening address on Sunday.
‘Gandalf the Green’ noted.
He had received many messages of sympathy.
From around the world.
And he condemned the ‘orcs’ “cowardly silence”.
Over the Dnipro attack.
Switching to ‘orcs’ language.
During his message, he said.
He wanted to address those.
“Who even now could not utter.
A few words of condemnation.
Of this terror”.
“Your cowardly silence.
Your attempt to ‘wait out’ what is happening.
Will only end with the fact that.
One day these same terrorists will come for you.”
He added the victims of the strike.
Included a 15-year-old girl.
And that two children.
Had been left orphans.
He moved his elderly mother.
To Dnipro last year.
Believing it to be a safer place.
To live during the war.
On Saturday 40 people.
Were killed in the strike.
He is a son in search of his mother.
Who is still missing.
A bright, family kitchen in Ukraine.
Was exposed to the world.
When an ‘orcs’ missile strike tore off.
Its external wall.
The apartment was home to well known.
Boxing coach.
Who was killed in Saturday’s attack.
His wife and children reportedly survived.
*Because I read some articles about the Dnipro attack as follows, and also “Why are Ukrainians calling Russians ‘orcs’?” by James FitzGerald on 30 April 2022, on the BBC news.
So, I wrote this poem including a story of Roman and his mother Olena, and a story of Mykhailo and his family.
Please read the original stories on the BBC news:
Dnipro missile: Son in search of his mother – BBC News
Ukraine yellow kitchen: Shock at image of apartment wrecked by strike – BBC News
Ukraine war: Chances of more survivors from Dnipro strike minimal – mayor – BBC News
Russia fires new waves of missiles at Ukraine and hits energy infrastructure – BBC News
**My friend shows you this poem with another my poem together also on the Ukrainian website for their children and others!
Please join them!
