A POET BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE ｜ Koryu meets Chess

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

‘Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jujub bird, and shun

The frumious Bandersnatch!’

Some 200km along.

The coast of the sea of Azov.

And much closer to.

The ‘orcs’ border.

The city of Mariupol feels.

As if it has been “cut off”.

From the outside world.

She very soon came to

an open field,

with a wood

on the other side of it:

it looked much darker

than the last wood,

and Alice felt a little timid

about going into it.

The potential dangers.

Are the same.

Whether in Mariupol.

Or Melitopol.

Seized by ‘Mordor’.

In the full-scale invasion.

In 2022.

Or in Crimea.

Which was annexed.

Eight years before.

However,

on second thoughts,

she made up

her mind to go on:

‘for I certainly won’t go back,’

she thought to herself,

and this was the only way

to the Eighth Square.

This key port and hub.

Of ‘elves’ steel industry.

Was captured.

After a devastating siege.

And bombardment that.

lasted almost three months.

In 2022.

‘This must be the wood,’

she said thoughtfully to herself,

‘where things have no names.

I wonder

what’ll become of my name

when I go in?

I shouldn’t like to lose it at all

‘Orcs’ citizenship is.

Now obligatory.

If you want to work or study.

Or have an urgent medical help.

“If someone’s child.

Let’s say, refuses.

To sing the ‘orcs’ anthem.

At school in the morning.”

“The FSB will visit.

Their parents.

They will be ‘pencilled in’.

And then anything can happen.”

He survived the siege.

Despite being shot.

Six times.

Including to his head.

– because they’d have to

give me another,

and it would be almost certain

to be an ugly one.

But then the fun would be,

trying to find the creature

that had got my old name!

That’s just like

Now that he has recuperated.

He feels.

He cannot leave.

Because of elderly relatives.

“Most of those.

Who stayed.

In Mariupol.

Or returned.”

“Did so to help.

Their elderly parents.

Or their sick grandparents.

Or because of their flat.”

He tells you.

Over the phone.

After midnight.

So no-one will overhear.

the advertisements, you know,

when people lose dogs

– “answers to the name of ‘Dash;’

had on a brass collar” –

just fancy calling

everything you met “Alice,”

till one of them answered!

Only they wouldn’t answer at all,

The biggest preoccupation.

In Mariupol.

Is holding on.

To your home.

As most of the property.

Damaged in.

The ‘orcs’ bombardment.

Has been demolished.

And the cost of living.

And unemployment.

Has surged.

if they were wise.’

She was rambling on in this way

When she reached the wood:

it looked very cool and shady.

‘Well, at any rate

it’s a great comfort,’

she said as she stepped

under the trees,

“I’d say 95%.

Of all talk.

In the city is.

About property:”

“How to claim it back.

How to sell it.

You’ll hear people.

Talk about it.”

“While queuing.

To buy some bread.

On your way.

To a chemist.”

“In the food market.

Everywhere,” he says.

“How to claim it back.

How to sell it.”

‘after being so hot,

to get into the – into the –

into what?

she went on,

rather surprised at

not being able to think

of the word.

‘I mean to get under the –

He believes.

The war must end.

Even if it means losing.

His ability to return to Ukraine.

“Human life is.

Of the greatest value…

But there are certain conditions.

For a ceasefire.”

“And not everyone.

Might agree with them.

As it raises a question.

Why have all those people?”

“Died then during?

The past three years?

Would they feel?

Abandoned and betrayed?”

under the – under this,

you know!’

putting her hand on

the trunk of the tree.

‘What does it call itself,

I wonder?

I do believe it’s got no name –

why, to be sure it hasn’t!’

He is wary of talking.

Even via an encrypted line.

But adds: “I don’t envy.

Anyone involved in.”

“Anyone involved in this.

Decision-making process.

It won’t be simple.

Black and white.”

She stood silent

for a minute, thinking:

then she suddenly began again.

‘Then it really has happened, after all!

And now, who am I?

I will remember,

if I can!

I’m determined to do it!’