Small fires were still.
Pouring smoke.
Across the remnants.
Of his home.
He did not want to leave.
Because he was afraid of.
What might happen.
To their three goats.
The booms of exchanging fire.
Echo loudly down.
Echo loudly down.
The already bomb-damaged streets.
Hundreds more remain.
In Vovchansk.
Just 6km from.
The ‘orcs’ border.
A resident said that.
His home and vehicles.
Had been destroyed.
By an ‘orcs’ glide bomb.
His wife had been.
Rushed to hospital.
With more serious injuries.
He did not want to leave.
Small fires were still.
Pouring smoke.
Across the remnants.
Of his home.
He did not want to leave.
Because he was afraid of.
What might happen.
To their three goats.
As you surveyed the damage.
There was the screech of.
Yet more glide bombs.
Being released.
Followed by the heavy thud.
Of the explosion.
‘Orcs’ air force is having.
An increasingly deadly effect.
‘Orcs’ attacks in north-east Ukraine.
Have prompted the evacuation.
Of almost 1,800 people.
From the Kharkiv area.
Heavy fighting has continued.
In the border area.
Following ‘orcs’ surprise incursions.
On Friday.
Small fires were still.
Pouring smoke.
Across the remnants.
Of his home.
He did not want to leave.
Because he was afraid of.
What might happen.
To their three goats.
‘Mordor’ has been.
Launching around.
100 glide bombs a day.
Across the 1,000 km front.
He was nursing wounds.
On his hands.
Burnt by the explosion.
He’d like to leave.
“But what can I do?”.
“But what can I do?”.
He pointed to his three goats.
Which he didn’t want to kill.
Somehow, they’d miraculously.
Survived along with his cat.
He was still clinging on.
To his final possessions.
Small fires were still.
Pouring smoke.
Across the remnants.
Of his home.
He did not want to leave.
Because he was afraid of.
What might happen.
To their three goats.
*Because I read “Ukraine: Hundreds flee Kharkiv area after Russian cross-border attack” by Jonathan Beale & Henri Astier on 11 May 2024, “The Russians simply walked in, Ukrainian troops in Kharkiv tell BBC” by Jonathan Beale on 13 May 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 Serhii.
Please read the original stories on the BBC news:
Ukraine: Hundreds flee Kharkiv area after Russian cross-border attack (bbc.com)
Russians simply walked in, Ukraine troops in Kharkiv tell BBC
