A POET ADDRESSING

In her notebook.

There are hearts addressed.

To a person who will never be.

Able to see them again – MUM.

 

 

A 6-year-old girl had to.

Become an adult.

In an instant when her mother.

Died before her eyes.

 

Okhmatdyt specialists fought.

For the girl’s health.

The life of her was absolutely.

Normal 2 weeks ago.

 

It seems like an eternity.

Has passed since then.

Before the war.

She had a close-knit family:

 

Mum, dad.

9-year-old brother.

And also her grandmother.

Aunt and uncle.

 

The girl went to the 1st grade.

Found friends.

Loved maths lessons and.

Was fond of drawing.

 

 

In her notebook.

There are hearts addressed.

To a person who will never be.

Able to see them again – MUM.

 

 

On 28 February.

This child’s life was divided.

Into “before” and “after”.

At that moment.

 

The family was near Gostomel.

In the Kyiv region.

A place where the population is.

Now being held hostage.

 

By the occupiers.

Where fighting and.

A humanitarian crisis.

Are ongoing.

 

The girl’s father says that.

That fateful morning was.

Quiet until a rocket hit.

A neighbouring house.

 

The family took cover.

In one of the rooms.

Of their house.

But 30 seconds later.

 

Another rocket hit the room.

Where all the people were.

The girl’s aunt’s foot.

Was blown off.

 

And the aunt had to.

Have her leg amputated.

To the knee.

The child’s life was divided.

 

The rest of the family.

Received shrapnel wounds.

But the girl’s mother was.

The most unlucky.

 

She died in front of.

Her husband and two children.

The child’s life was divided.

The girl was also injured.

 

The shrapnel damaged.

Her lower limbs.

The right foot sustained.

The most damage.

 

The girl has already undergone.

Several surgical interventions:

Shrapnel and non-viable tissue.

Were removed.

 

And skin grafts were performed.

On the affected areas.

Now the girl is in Okhmatdyt.

Continues treatment.

 

And psychologists are.

Working with her.

Now the little girl has realized.

That her mother is gone.

 

She began to talk about her.

In the past tense.

And every time.

She cries at the memory.

 

Of the terrible events.

This child’s life was divided.

Into “before” and “after”.

The child still draws.

 

 

In her notebook.

There are hearts addressed.

To a person who will never be.

Able to see them again – MUM.

 

 

The father is always.

With his daughter.

He was wounded.

By shrapnel himself.

 

But it doesn’t seem to.

Bother him much.

The other day.

He buried his wife.

 

So now his children.

Are all he has.

The father does not leave.

His daughter’s bedside.

 

And cannot contain.

His emotions:

“God forbid anyone.

Should go through this.”

 

“Before the war started.

We lived a completely normal life.

My wife and I worked.

Our children went to school.”

 

“She started first grade.

Only this year.

We had a happy life.

Now everything has changed.”

 

“Now everything has changed.

Now innocent people are dying.

Now we need help.

For the whole of Ukraine.”

 

 

In her notebook.

There are hearts addressed.

To a person who will never be.

Able to see them again – MUM.

 

 

*Because I read “The Stories of Ohmatdyt children who have suffered from the war” on the website of OHMATDYT, and also “Why are Ukrainians calling Russians ‘orcs’?” by James FitzGerald on 30 Apr 2022, on the BBC news.
OHMATDYT starts showing us 8 stories on the page as follows:
“Dear journalists and media people, Ohmatdyt is kindly asking you to share the stories of the children who have suffered from the war. Some of them turned out to be receiving treatment in our hospital, where the specialists are fighting for their health and even life in a courageous way. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to help everyone. We collected 8 stories, which broke our hearts in this post. We are kindly asking you to share them and use the photos and videos for the whole world to see the crimes of Russia against the children in Ukraine.”
So, I wrote this poem as a story of Milana, Kostya, Diana and Oleksiy.
Please read the original story and look at the photos and videos here:

The Stories of Ohmatdyt children who have suffered from the war | Охматдит

Telegram: Contact @ndslohmatdyt

 

 

**My friend kindly shows you this poem in one page of the Ukrainian website for their children and others!

15 poems by Japanese poetess Kurama about russian missile attack on the Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital – Мала Сторінка (storinka.org)

Please join them! You can read my 15 poems about the Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital here at once.