Holding your breath – v2

Your body taut, tense, frozen,
held in urgency, in tension,
in the disquiet of war, the terror,
in the crucible of genocide…
 
Stretched beyond limits,
what we are meant to endure,
but striving because you must,
your mission, your position is clear…
 
Release must come, quickly,
even for a few moments,
tension must be released,
so that you can survive…
 
Weakness is not weakness,
we are all human, mortal,
take time for yourself,
in your inward spirit…
 
You noble work continues,
guarding your good people,
standing strong, resolute,
united, against our enemy…
 
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Edited April 24, 2025
Holding your breath – v2
 
Edited April 23, 2025
Remembering to Exhale – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/remembering-to-exhale-v2.html
Edited April 23, 2025
Stretched Taut – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/stretched-taut-v2.html  
Based on a defender’s post on her birthday
Edited April 21, 2025
She is Ukraina, Ukraine – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/she-is-ukraina-ukraine-v2.html
Edited April 20, 2025
Eyes that have seen too much – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/eyes-that-have-seen-too-much-v3.html
Edited April 4, 2025
sisters in arms – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/sisters-in-arms-v3.html
written after reading post by defender of Ukraine
about serving as a woman in the army,
for International Women’s Day, March 8, 2025
 
All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com)  for usage. See all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
 
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poetry, Ukraine, defenders, victory, peace,
 
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