When morning’s broken, sun in eyes
I walk with birdsong in my chest
mourning
for the sleep’s that lost to air raids
forcing children into basements
waiting
for the blast to blow their future
into charcoal ash and mass graves
filling.
I wood-walk just to let the nightmares
peter out, from hurt to soreness
throbbing
in the kept phantom pains; remembrance
of what’s broken, what’s sacrificed
to lies
of heroism in cluster bombs
to letters, signs, and uniforms
when birds
keeps singing, oblivious to pain
I see beyond this warfare peace
a sign
of daylight drawing darkness out
as despots die, eternally
condemned

Philip Guston
Today at dVerse Grace introduced us to the form of Synchronicity. The war in Ukraine has now been going on for a month, and I think I will remember that shocking morning of February 24 until I die.
March 24, 2022
This is incredibly potent, Bjorn! I especially resonate with; “I wood-walk just to let the nightmares peter out, from hurt to soreness throbbing.”
Just so powerfjl. More thsn protest poetry, far more than emotion and commentary…really verse like this is substance defined.
In the areas occupied by Russian troops they are going into libraries and homes, grabbing books by Ukrainian authors (they actually have a list) and are burning them. Of course this is not the worst horror we have seen, but it is shocking and numbing…there is ethnic cleansing happening — including the refugees they force out…
So many horrors … and just for grandiose ideas that alas go deeper than Putin. The only thing to hope for is that Russians realize how welcome they would be in a more unified world.
I have been following the news too and I can see that broken morning, the crying and deaths from bombs into mass graves. I admire the turn of your lines from deadly nightmares, to birds singing, to signs of peace and the finally the death of despots. I pray that someday, all the tyrants will die, eternally condemned.
Love the alliteration “daylight drawing darkness out as despots die”. A very strong message, which fits snugly into the topical; good stuff.
Verse 5 is my favourite.
Happy you dropped by to read mine Björn
Much💜love
Real, heartfelt and forthright. Would that those responsible not only read this but, understand it. ✒️
Excellent write Bjorn, snd may you be right my friend! ✌🏼❤️
Your poem resonates deeply … my response to it … a sense of awe at your talent to write so beautifully about such an atrocious, senseless act of war.
“remembrance
of what’s broken, what’s sacrificed
to lies.”
It is a wonder that birds carry on, oblivious. I’m glad you’re getting near nature that is both a mystery and a comfort.
The last stanza conveys a lot of hope.
I think you have captured the disconnect between our lives and those in Ukraine far better than I did. Especially,
for the sleep’s that lost to air raids
forcing children into basements
waiting
for the blast to blow their future
into charcoal ash and mass graves
filling.
To be apathetic to what’s happening would be the biggest crime! I keep hoping for peace.
I love how your 6th stanza flowed directly into the 7th! The entire piece really pulls at my heart…
-David
This is the excellent piece, Björn!!😀❤
I was so so lost into the every single line..
👏👏💯