Horror and Beauty Amid War

A Poem from Kyiv after 12/29 Missile Strikes

Graphic posted by General Zaluzhny on his Telegram Channel: December 29, 2023

Amid the horrors of war, we seek beauty
Sixteen of our neighbors, dead in Kyiv
To go on for them, our sacred duty
We go to work so we can live

And New Year’s will be solemn
On that day we remember our dead
Death by Russian, their missile column
Of death, we are no longer afraid

They have taught us instead
How to completely live
Drink wine and break bread
And to selflessly give

Ah, fools, they rushed into Kyiv
Almost two years ago now
But we stood strong and brave
We did it, we don’t really know how

They come again and again, try to kill
We wake up still and go on with our day
Oh, foolish enemy, you can’t break our will
You see, we bow down every day to pray

If it is our time, then that’s up to God
We know that now, it’s why we hope
It is He who smites with staff and rod
His love gives us power to cope