She is waiting for.
Her train to Kyiv.
“A year ago.
We thought we’d get.”
“Help from the West and.
That our counter offensive.
Would work.
But not anymore.”
“People used to believe.
But not now.”
“People used to believe.
But not now.”
Distant rumbles.
Of artillery serve either.
As a sobering welcome.
Or a reason to leave.
These days.
The train station.
In the nearby city.
Of Kramatorsk.
Is the last stop for.
Arriving troops and.
Increasingly, departing.
Civilians laden with bags.
Distant rumbles.
Of artillery serve either.
As a sobering welcome.
Or a reason to leave.
At least 61 people.
Were killed.
By one here.
In 2022.
Shrapnel marks.
Are still scorched.
Onto the pavement.
She is waiting for.
Distant rumbles.
Of artillery serve either.
As a sobering welcome.
Or a reason to leave.
She is waiting for.
Her train to Kyiv.
“A year ago.
We thought we’d get.”
“Help from the West and.
That our counter offensive.
Would work.
But not anymore.”
“People used to believe.
But not now.”
“People used to believe.
But not now.”
Distant rumbles.
Of artillery serve either.
As a sobering welcome.
Or a reason to leave.
Ukraine hopes.
Its eastern lands will.
One day be somewhere.
Safe to live again.
Right now it’s unclear.
What these departing.
Passengers will.
Be returning to.
Distant rumbles.
Of artillery serve either.
As a sobering welcome.
Or a reason to leave.
Should its ‘orcs’.
Invaders gain.
More momentum.
In the Donetsk region.
The question of.
Where they will stop.
Will be increasingly.
Difficult to answer.
Distant rumbles.
Of artillery serve either.
As a sobering welcome.
Or a reason to leave.
Couples hold.
Long embraces.
On a platform.
Flanked by.
Freight trains.
Which provide.
Protection in case of.
A missile strike.
“People used to believe.
But not now.”
“People used to believe.
But not now.”
*Because I read “Ukraine war: Eastern residents brace for Russian advance” by James Waterhouse on 7 Mar 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 Alla.
Please read the original story on the BBC news:
Ukraine war: Eastern residents brace for Russian advance (bbc.com)
**My friend kindly shows you this poem in one page of the Ukrainian website for their children and others!
Please join them! You can read my 100 poems here at once.
