“But maybe being.
Enslaved by ‘Mordor’.
Is more frightening?
Now we see death.”
“It’s very difficult.
Very difficult.
But there is no way back.
We can’t give up.”
On the edge of Cherkasy.
There is a cemetery.
With a long line.
Of recent graves.
They’re for the men.
Of all ages.
From the town.
Who’ve died fighting.
From the town.
Who’ve died fighting.
Since ‘the One’ gave.
The order to invade.
Ukraine honours the dead.
As heroes.
But it’s left to their families.
To grieve.
“But maybe being.
Enslaved by ‘Mordor’.
Is more frightening?
Now we see death.”
“It’s very difficult.
Very difficult.
But there is no way back.
We can’t give up.”
Each grave is decorated.
With national flags.
And heaped with.
Wreaths and flowers.
There are images.
Fixed to crosses.
Or etched into.
Marble headstones.
Or etched into.
Marble headstones.
Of the soldiers.
In military uniform.
She can’t bear.
To put her son’s photo.
On his grave yet.
On his grave yet.
The image that she used.
For his funeral.
Is still at home.
She’s not ready to let go.
“But maybe being.
Enslaved by ‘Mordor’.
Is more frightening?
Now we see death.”
“It’s very difficult.
Very difficult.
But there is no way back.
We can’t give up.”
Her son was killed.
Last June.
By a mine explosion.
Near Bakhmut.
Her son was about.
To turn 23.
And already.
A deputy commander.
“I believe my son.
Died doing.
The right thing.”
She says firmly.
As her daughter.
Cries quietly.
Beside her.
“I’m a teacher.”
“And I always tell.
The children this:
We are right.
We are defending.”
“Our country and our children.
My son was defending us.
He believed in this cause.
And I believe.”
She says before.
Pausing to take in.
The flags and.
Faces all around.
She hasn’t visited.
The cemetery for a little while.
And the row of.
Soldiers’ graves has grown.
“But maybe being.
Enslaved by ‘Mordor’.
Is more frightening?
Now we see death.”
“It’s very difficult.
Very difficult.
But there is no way back.
We can’t give up.”
“Do you think my son wasn’t afraid?
I was afraid too.
When he went.
Everyone’s afraid of dying.”
She answers.
When you wonder what.
She thinks of those who.
Avoid signing up to fight.
“But maybe being.
Enslaved by ‘Mordor’.
Is more frightening?
Now we see death.”
“It’s very difficult.
Very difficult.
But there is no way back.
We can’t give up.”
*Because I read “Exhausted Ukraine struggles to find new men for front line” by Sarah Rainsford on 12 Feb 2024, 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 Inna and Vladislav.
Please read the original story on the BBC news:
Exhausted Ukraine struggles to find new men for front line – BBC News
