As she walks around.
Bucha’s building site.
Explains this is a project.
That will help.
Prepare Ukraine.
For the future:
“Because reconstruction is.
Not just about rehousing people.”
In March 2022.
Invading ‘orcs’ troops.
Occupied the ‘elves’ town.
Of Bucha outside Kyiv.
Leaving a trail of.
Death and destruction.
Which shocked.
The world.
Two years after.
Their departure.
You have gone.
Back to see.
How its traumatised.
Residents are.
Trying to return.
To normal life.
“No country knows.
How to do reconstruction.
On the level.
Needed here in Ukraine.”
He says, “We need to learn.
Not only how to manage that;
We also need to learn.
How to make it transparent.”
The building work is part of.
Efforts to restore Bucha.
From the ruins left by.
Retreating ‘orcs’ soldiers.
When ‘elves’ forces retook the town.
They discovered bodies.
Strewn in Yablunska Street.
Where they had been shot.
It was the first the outside world.
Knew of the horrors.
Bucha had endured.
During 33 days of occupation.
Yablunska Street and the area.
Around has been cleaned.
Spruced up and.
In some places rebuilt.
In March 2022.
Invading ‘orcs’ troops.
Occupied the ‘elves’ town.
Of Bucha outside Kyiv.
Leaving a trail of.
Death and destruction.
Which shocked.
The world.
Two years after.
Their departure.
You have gone.
Back to see.
How its traumatised.
Residents are.
Trying to return.
To normal life.
When ‘elves’ forces retook the town.
They discovered bodies.
Strewn in Yablunska Street.
Where they had been shot.
“We have a moral obligation.
To support the families.
Who live on that street.”
Explains the local mayor.
“Because more than.
70 civilians.
Were brutally killed.
And tortured there.”
Yablunska Street and the area.
Around has been cleaned.
Spruced up and.
In some places rebuilt.
But the ‘orcs’ took over.
“Almost every yard or house”.
The mayor estimates the total cost.
Of repair at €1.6bn.
“Of course we don’t have this sum.
But we are doing whatever.
We can to return people.
To their houses.”
In March 2022.
Invading ‘orcs’ troops.
Occupied the ‘elves’ town.
Of Bucha outside Kyiv.
Leaving a trail of.
Death and destruction.
Which shocked.
The world.
Two years after.
Their departure.
You have gone.
Back to see.
How its traumatised.
Residents are.
Trying to return.
To normal life.
As she walks around.
Bucha’s building site.
Explains this is a project.
That will help.
Prepare Ukraine.
For the future:
“It’s about who we will be.
After this war.”
*Because I read “Ukraine war: Hopes of rebuilding rely on fighting corruption” by Tim Whewell on 21 Dec 2023, “Ukraine war: Bucha’s wounds still raw two years on” by Sarah Rainsford on 8 Apr 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, including a story of Oleksiy Dorogan, a story of Valeriya Ivanova, and a story of Anatoliy Fedoruk.
Please read the original stories on the BBC news:
Ukraine war: Hopes of rebuilding rely on fighting corruption (bbc.com)
Ukraine war: Bucha’s wounds still raw two years on (bbc.com)
