Grounded – v3 #poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #victory #TarasShevchenko #Taras #Shevchenko #muse #Ukrainian #glory #serfdom #prison #freedom #independence #history

His spirit was planted in her black soil,
even when his body was taken from her,
Shevchenko never left his Ukraina,
even when exiled in Siberia,
He was forever at home….
 
When in prison, in the garrison, on the steppes,
No walls could ever hold him captive,
Closing his eyes, he was flying, soaring,
able to traverse the wildness, the distance,
reaching, grabbing a handful of that rich soil…
 
Grounded in the place of his birth,
his homeland, her black soil, richly,
no matter how many years he was distant,
In truth, his spirit never left her, not once,
his mother, his lover, Ukraine…
 
Pain was overwhelming when he did not see her,
when he could not touch her, his mother,
feeling the power of this space, this place, his home,
but he was connected with his homeland forever,
her black soil was deep in his soul…
 
---------------
Edited November 24, 2025
Grounded – v3
 
Edited December 8, 2024
Grounded – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/grounded-v2.html
December 3, 2024
Grounded
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/grounded.html
Edited October 29, 2024
Diaspora – 2- v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/diaspora-2-v2.html
about the 24 years Taras Shevchenko
spent away from Ukraine in his youth and imprisonment,
like the Babylonian Exile in Israel
&
Written and posted September 30, 2024
The mother and the martyr
typed October 15, 2024
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-mother-and-martyr.html
after poem “the mother and the martyr”, based on the poem,
“Neophytes”, by Taras Shevchenko
&
Written and posted September 30, 2024
The Great Catastrophe
typed October 15, 2024
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-great-catastrophe.html
based on sentence and imprisonment of Taras Shevchenko
for ten years, 1847 (age 33) until 1857 (age 43)
 
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, 202 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
 
poetry, Ukraine, God, prayer, war, terror, genocide, Russia, peace, victory, Taras Shevchenko, Ukrainian, freedom, independence, history, glory, pain, serfdom, muse, prison,
 
#poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #victory #TarasShevchenko #Taras #Shevchenko #muse #Ukrainian #glory #serfdom #prison #freedom #independence #history
 
This poem, “Grounded”, is about how Shevchenko was in the diaspora, outside of Ukraine for most of his life but how he never truly left Ukraine. His spirit was firmly planted in her black soil even if his body was taken from her. His spirit was so strong he could merely close his eyes and he could fly back to her. That must have been such a solace in the years he was imprisoned when he could not write or paint about Ukraine.
 
I have seen such loyalty, such fealty among others in the Ukrainian Diaspora today. They wear their colors and support Ukraine how ever they can. I have engaged many Ukrainians online and in real-life. The pride and identity they share is so profound. Their longing for their homeland is so reminiscent of Shevchenko’s words and poetry. They share the same pain and share the same hopes.