The washing hangs abandoned In the Ukraine, blooded and singed Cowering not from the wind but from the bombs . It is tethered to a line, an invisible line Everyone has forgotten and it stays Abandoned in the cold wind and snow.
It’s a symbol of the people Made refugee Hanging between life and death Bombarded by those with no conscience Empty promises of safe passage Hanging on the invisible line We must not dessert them.
Selma and Colleen selected the painting for this week’s Ekphrastic#photoprompt. It’s a Degas and you can read more about it HERE.
Remember, we can see what’s in the image, so write your poem using the image as an inspiration. Don’t just describe what you see in the image. Think about metaphor and allegory. Just remember to check which form you’re using. Some of the Japanese forms frown upon the use of metaphors. This challenge explores Ekphrastic writing, inspired by visual art.
I chose to write an Abhanga. The Abhanga is written in any number of 4-line stanzas with 6-6-6-4 syllables each. L2 and L3 rhyme. The end rhyme scheme is abbc. It is customary to title your poetry.It is not the ordinary Russian people’s fault that they are lied to by their government and media. This is what I have tried to express in my poem .
LindaGHill is hear again to give us this week’s prompt. : “Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “trip.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!”
Trip can mean a holiday or a journey, it can mean falling flat on your bum or your face! You can trip people up in a lie as in catch them out. Below is a Décima I wrote last year for Ronovanwrite’s Weekly Décima Challenge. I originally wrote it about Libia. Today what I wrote about Libia is still true . I stream of consciousnessly changed the verses to fit Ukraine to fit all wars also. So this poem started out about Libia it took a trip and became a poem about Ukraine.
Line of blood drawn in snow or sand. Poison and fear begin to drip Over the evil rules you trip The men stand with guns in hand Take the children to safer land Every inch you have ever gained Corridors to freedom are drained. Deserted, left now high and dry False promises, innocents die Lost forever the freedom gained.
This poem is in support of all those in the Ukraine and was inspired by Jane Dougherty’s poem, On Days of Wind . Please read Jane’s poem. I have borrowed the painting Jane used which is a painting by Franz Marc, killed at Verdun in 1916.
The washing hangs abandoned In the Ukraine, blooded and singed Cowering not from the wind but from the bombs . It is tethered to a line, an invisible line Everyone has forgotten and it stays Abandoned in the cold wind and snow.
It’s a symbol of the people Made refugee Hanging between life and death Bombarded by those with no conscience Empty promises of safe passage Hanging on the invisible line We must not dessert them.
Ukraine held fast in Russia’s grip Kyiv, Kharkiv are now household names While evil Putin plays his games Ukrainians brave, will not quit They soldier on while missiles hit. Russian people are on the hook The news is all from Putin’s book. They’re lied to and kept in the dark While jackboot stamps and war dogs bark. The world must act, the world must look.
It’s Saturday again and time for Linda to give us our prompt for SoCs, she says: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “rest.” Use it any way you like. Enjoy!
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As I sit here in my quiet kitchen, in my quiet house in a quiet road pondering what’s happening in Europe. I didn’t get much rest last night but at least I have my own roof over my head and there are no Russian tanks or bombs or troops out side my door. Unlike the people of Ukraine who have had no rest or quiet since Putin decided to invade.
I, like the rest of world hold my breath as we appear to be on the edge of war. Putin waited his moment, he waited until the China Winter Olympics were over to invade, his troops had been on “manoeuvres” on the Russian/Ukraine boarders.
It all came home to me the other day when our eldest son rang me, his first words were, “Hi Mum, I went to bed normally and woke up to war” I agreed with him this is a serious situation.
Personally I thought we had put the dogs of war to rest but in all honesty the ghosts of war never rest. They lie in wait for a mad, bad, evil, dictator and then they slip their leash. Sadly another, who we have known of for years finally crossed the line and crossed the boarders.
Hidden in basements, underground carpark and train stations with their children, dogs and cats, forced out of their homes…no rest for them. Quques of people walking and driving to cross the boarders of their home country no rest for them. Quques of men young and old and in-between waiting to sign up to defend their country. Many of these men have never seen or had any training for war many will holding a weapon for the first time. No rest to for them.
I cannot rest watching videos of the people of the Ukraine telling us their stories and asking why they have received no help or support, no troops from NATO or the U.S. coming to their aid. I do understand that any movement to assist the Ukraine will be the excuse Putin wants to declare war on the rest of us.
So many times throughout history this has happened not least in Europe but all over the world. ‘It only takes a few good men to do nothing for evil to prevail ‘ a slight miss quote on what Edmund Burke said but it is true.
I shall rest my case here and though I try not to mention political subjects but my conscience will not let me rest.
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