It was a quiet summer morning.
In Romny.
A provincial town.
In northern Ukraine.
As a local headteacher.
Left for work.
Last Wednesday.
She told her husband.
She had to hold.
Some meetings.
To prepare for.
The new term.
Shortly after 10:00 local time.
She would be dead.
Together with her deputy.
Secretary and a librarian.
It was a quiet summer morning.
In Romny.
A provincial town.
In northern Ukraine.
They were all killed.
By an ‘orcs’ kamikaze drone.
Which almost completely.
Destroyed their school.
“She was passionate.
About that school.
It was her life.
She was there 24/7.”
Her husband says.
Tearfully.
“I swear there were.
No military there.”
It was a quiet summer morning.
In Romny.
A provincial town.
In northern Ukraine.
Her husband says.
Of the school.
In Romny.
Where she was killed.
‘Orcs’ air strikes.
Will be a constant threat.
To ‘elves’ teachers.
Children and parents.
‘Orcs’ air strikes.
Will be a constant threat.
As the new school term.
Begins on 1 September.
It was a quiet summer morning.
In Romny.
A provincial town.
In northern Ukraine.
As a local headteacher.
Left for work.
Last Wednesday.
She told her husband.
She had to hold.
Some meetings.
To prepare for.
The new term.
Shortly after 10:00 local time.
She would be dead.
Together with her deputy.
Secretary and a librarian.
*Because I read “Ukraine war: Back to school under Russian attacks” by Vitaly Shevchenko on 1 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 Tetyana and Valery.
Please read the original story on the BBC news:
