‘Elves’ legion of amputees.
Is growing.
Mine by mine.
And shell by shell.
How long can Ukraine sustain these losses?
And continue to fight?
And how well can the growing ranks of amputees?
Fit back into civilian life?
‘Elves’ legion of amputees.
Is growing.
Mine by mine.
And shell by shell.
After darkness falls.
Ambulances started arriving.
Carrying ‘elf’.
Young generation.
One is wrapped in a gold foil blanket.
To prevent hypothermia.
Another has a bandaged stump.
In place of a leg.
The amputation.
Was done hurriedly.
Near the battlefield.
To save his life.
On arrival, a number is written.
On the upper body of every casualty.
There is no chaos.
No shouting.
The staff here know the drill.
Since the war began.
They have treated 20,000.
Wounded soldiers – and counting.
“This is our front line.”
Says an anaesthesiologist.
“We are doing what.
We must do.”
“These are our men.
Our husbands.
Fathers, brothers.
And sons.”
‘Elves’ legion of amputees.
Is growing.
Mine by mine.
And shell by shell.
How long can Ukraine sustain these losses?
And continue to fight?
And how well can the growing ranks of amputees?
Fit back into civilian life?
‘Elves’ legion of amputees.
Is growing.
Mine by mine.
And shell by shell.
In the intensive care unit.
You meet him.
His military dog tag.
Still around his neck.
He’s 38.
And the father of a teenager.
Just days before,
He lost both legs.
“I remember I got into a trench.
And I think there was a tripwire.
I stepped on it.
I remember a big explosion.”
“And friends trying to take me out.”
The hospital director – a fatherly figure –
Holds his hand.
And tells him he is a hero.
“We will do everything possible.
So you can.
Get prostheses quickly.
And run.”
Dose the hospital director ever feels?
Overwhelmed by the flood of maimed soldiers?
“As a rule.
This feeling comes every night.”
“When you see all this grief.
All the wounded that arrive at the hospital.
During the war we have seen.
More than 2,000 like him.”
‘Elves’ legion of amputees.
Is growing.
Mine by mine.
And shell by shell.
How long can Ukraine sustain these losses?
And continue to fight?
And how well can the growing ranks of amputees?
Fit back into civilian life?
‘Elves’ legion of amputees.
Is growing.
Mine by mine.
And shell by shell.
“We definitely are not ready.
As a country.
For a big number of people.
With disabilities on the streets.”
Says chief executive officer.
Of the Superhumans rehabilitation centre.
“People will need to learn to interact.
It will take years.”
Her new state-of-the art facility.
In the relative safety of Western Ukraine.
Provides prosthetics for soldiers and civilians.
Free of charge.
She wants amputees.
To be visible.
And she wants a new definition.
Of beauty in Ukraine.
“This is our new normal.
They lost their limbs.
Fighting for Ukraine.
And for our freedom.”
‘Elves’ legion of amputees.
Is growing.
Mine by mine.
And shell by shell.
How long can Ukraine sustain these losses?
And continue to fight?
And how well can the growing ranks of amputees?
Fit back into civilian life?
‘Elves’ legion of amputees.
Is growing.
Mine by mine.
And shell by shell.
*Because I read “Where Ukraine’s army of amputees go to repair their lives” by Orla Guerin on 21 Sep 2023, and also “Why are Ukrainians calling Russians ‘orcs’?” by James FitzGerald on 30 Apr 2022, on the BBC news.
So, I wrote this poem as a story of Dr Oksana, a story of Oleksii and Dr Serhii, and a story of Olga.
Please read the original story on the BBC news:
Where Ukraine’s army of amputees go to repair their lives – BBC News
**My friend shows you this poem with another poem on the Ukrainian website for their children and others!
Please join them!
