Across the plane of the petals

Perfection in the details,
flatness of the blossom
diving in closely
for the perfect shot…

Seeing the world differently
across the plane of the petals
alive in the still air
just off the front porch…

Velvet, satin, fabric,
cut by the Creator,
the center rising
like a spinning top…

Across the plane of the petals,
seeing the world stop
taking time to notice
work of the Potter’s hand…

 

---------------
August 30, 2025
Across the plane of the petals

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 all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

-----------
poetry, flower, blossom, photography, macrophotography,

#poetry #flower #blossom #photography

the cost of our silence is measured in children’s lives – v2 #Kyiv #Mariupol #Kherson #KryvyiRih

 

We must face the fact of our immorality, our failure,
our complacency, our complicity, we are so timid,
drawing red lines not to cross, fearing escalation,
not acting when Russia is ready to maim, to murder…
Standing back when we should stand with them,
failing the moral test of this age, this moment,
knowing all too well our one common enemy,
his unrelenting terror, wanton abandon,
a willingness to destroy everything
to expand his empire, his kingdom,
prepared to kill innocent children
in relentless acts of genocide…

Today’s reporting, so grim, so normal, Kyiv,
Tomorrow will be the same story, a different block,
another high-rise apartment building targeted,
Innocent children murdered in their beds
while our leaders wring their hands, meeting,
saying this is awful, regrettable, unconscionable…
“Willing” but not “Doing”, not “Acting”,
never stopping their aggression, this terror,
daily genocide committed by Russia, endlessly,
no massive involvement or shared responsibility,
to end the violence, this evil, this madness…
The cost of our silence is measured in children’s lives…

The cost of our silence is measured in children’s lives…
Attacks written into the flesh of our hearts, our memory,
on Okhmatdyt, on Kryvyi Rih, on the Mariupol theatre,
human safaris in Kherson, a drone targeting a one-year-old,
But much earlier in Aleppo, in Georgia, in Chechnya…
We knew long before the full-scale invasion, Putin,
the enemy we are facing, the Dead Souls of Russia,
their indifference, their inhumanity, soulless people
for centuries willing to follow the lust of the madman,
the dictator in the Kremlin, longing for empire…
Allowing this to continue, unchecked,
Year after year, Day after awful day….
 
-------
Edited August 30, 2025
the cost of our silence is measured in children’s lives – v2

March 16, 2022 – Bombing of Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theatre in Mariupol
July 8, 2024 – Attack on Okhmatdyt National Children’s Specialized Hospital, Kyiv
April 4, 2025 – Shelling of the playground in Kryvyi Rih
July 10, 2025 - Human safari FPV drone targeting a one-year-old in Kherson
Edited August 28, 2025
Дети – v4
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/v4.html
Edited August 21, 2025
Putin walked on a carpet of blood – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/putin-walked-on-carpet-of-blood-v2.html
Edited July 12, 2025
Unrelenting Terror – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/07/unrelenting-terror-v2.html
Edited April 14, 2025
Screaming into the Void – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/screaming-into-void-v3.html
Revised April 11, 2025
Kryvyi Rih – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/kryvyi-rih-v2-kryvyi-rih-not-just.html
Edited December 12, 2024
The blood of the dead in Bucha – v6
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-blood-of-dead-in-bucha-v6.html
typed October 15, 2024
The stain of innocent blood – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-stain-of-innocent-blood-v5.html

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 all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

-------------
poetry, Ukraine, Russia, Putin, murder, terror, genocide, children,
 
#poetry #Ukraine #Russia #Putin #murder #terror #genocide #children

the cost of our silence is measured in children’s lives #Mariupol #Children #Kyiv

We must face the fact of our immorality, our failure,
our complacency, our complicity, we are so timid,
drawing red lines not to cross, fearing escalation,
Standing back when we should stand with them,
failing the moral test of this age, this moment,
knowing all too well our one common enemy,
his unrelenting terror, reckless abandon,
a willingness to destroy everything
to expand his empire, his kingdom,
prepared to kill innocent children
in wanton acts of genocide…

Today’s reporting, so grim, so normal, Kyiv,
tomorrow’s the same story, a different block,
another high-rise apartment building targeted,
Innocent children murdered in their beds
while our leaders wring their hands,
“Willing” but not “Doing”, not “Acting”,
not stopping aggression, this terror,
daily genocide committed by Russia, endlessly,
no massive involvement or shared responsibility,
to end the violence, this evil, this madness…
The cost of our silence is measured in children’s lives

The cost of our silence is measured in children’s lives…
Attacks written into the flesh of our hearts, our memory,
on Okhmatdyt, on Kryvyi Rih, on the Mariupol theatre,
human safaris in Kherson, a drone targeting a one-year-old,
But much earlier in Aleppo, in Georgia, in Chechnya…
We knew before the full-scale invasion, Putin,
the enemy we are facing, the Dead Souls of Russia,
their indifference, their inhumanity, soulless people
willing to follow the lust of the madman,
the dictator in the Kremlin, longing for empire…
Allowing this to continue, unchecked,
Year after year, Day after awful day….

----------
Edited August 29, 2025
the cost of our silence is measured in children’s lives

March 16, 2022 – Bombing of Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theatre in Mariupol
July 8, 2024 – Attack on Okhmatdyt National Children’s Specialized Hospital, Kyiv
April 4, 2025 – Shelling of the playground in Kryvyi Rih
July 10, 2025 - Human safari FPV drone targeting a one-year-old in Kherson
Edited August 28, 2025
Дети – v4
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/v4.html
Edited August 25, 2025
The cauldrons of Hell – 2 – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-cauldrons-of-hell-2-v2.html
Edited August 21, 2025
Putin walked on a carpet of blood – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/putin-walked-on-carpet-of-blood-v2.html
Edited July 12, 2025
Unrelenting Terror – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/07/unrelenting-terror-v2.html
Edited April 14, 2025
Screaming into the Void – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/screaming-into-void-v3.html
Revised April 11, 2025
Kryvyi Rih – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/kryvyi-rih-v2-kryvyi-rih-not-just.html
Edited December 12, 2024
The blood of the dead in Bucha – v6
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-blood-of-dead-in-bucha-v6.html
typed October 15, 2024
The stain of innocent blood – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-stain-of-innocent-blood-v5.html

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 all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

-------------
poetry, Ukraine, Russia, Putin, murder, terror, genocide, children,

#poetry #Ukraine #Russia #Putin #murder #terror #genocide #children

the cost of silence is measured in children’s lives #Children #Mariupol

We must face the fact of our immorality,
our complacency, our complicity, timid,
Standing back when we should stand with them,
failing the moral test of this age, this moment,
knowing all too well our common enemy,
his unrelenting terror, abandon,
a willingness to destroy everything
to expand his empire, his kingdom,
prepared to kill innocent children
in wanton acts of terror…
 
Today’s reporting, so grim, so normal, Kyiv,
another high-rise apartment building targeted,
Innocent children murdered in their beds
while the leaders wring their hands,
“Willing” but not “Doing”, not acting,
not stopping aggression, the terror,
daily genocide committed by Russia,
no massive involvement, shared responsibility,
to end the violence, the terror, the madness…
The cost of silence is measured in children’s lives
 
The cost of silence is measured in children’s lives…
Attacks written into the flesh of our hearts, our memory,
on Okhmatdyt, on Kryvyi Rih, on the Mariupol theatre,
but much earlier in Aleppo, in Georgia, in Chechnya…
We knew before the full-scale invasion, Putin,
the enemy we are facing, the Dead Souls of Russia,
their indifference, their inhumanity, soulless people
willing to follow the lust of the madman,
the dictator in the Kremlin, longing for empire…
Allowing this to continue, unchecked,
Year after year, Day after awful day….
 
----------
Edited August 28, 2025
the cost of silence is measured in children’s lives
 
March 16, 2022 – Bombing of Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theatre in Mariupol
July 8, 2024 – Attack on Okhmatdyt National Children’s Specialized Hospital, Kyiv
April 4, 2025 – Shelling of the playground in Kryvyi Rih
July 10, 2025 - Human safari FPV drone targeting a one-year old in Kherson
Edited August 28, 2025
Дети – v4
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/v4.html
Edited August 25, 2025
The cauldrons of Hell – 2 – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-cauldrons-of-hell-2-v2.html
Edited August 21, 2025
Putin walked on a carpet of blood – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/putin-walked-on-carpet-of-blood-v2.html
Edited July 12, 2025
Unrelenting Terror – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/07/unrelenting-terror-v2.html
Edited April 14, 2025
Screaming into the Void – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/screaming-into-void-v3.html
Revised April 11, 2025
Kryvyi Rih – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/kryvyi-rih-v2-kryvyi-rih-not-just.html
Edited December 12, 2024
The blood of the dead in Bucha – v6
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-blood-of-dead-in-bucha-v6.html
typed October 15, 2024
The stain of innocent blood – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-stain-of-innocent-blood-v5.html
Edited September 25, 2024
History will curse him – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/history-will-curse-him-v2.html
August 29, 2024
The dead do not yet rest in peace
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-dead-do-not-yet-rest-in-peace.html
 
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 all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
 
-------------
poetry, Ukraine, Russia, Putin, murder, terror, genocide, children,
 
#poetry #Ukraine #Russia #Putin #murder #terror #genocide #children

Дети – v4 #Children #Mariupol #Ukraine #Russia #WarCrimes

Written on the pavement in Russian,
Дети, Children! Діти. A prayer, a word,
a shout of protection over them, sanctuary,
believing they would be safe,
hiding in their makeshift shelter;
But we should have known our enemy,
the choice they made that day
to butcher the innocents…

This moment of pure depravity, діти,
now regular premeditated murder,
Seared in our memory, but numbed…
The horror become too frequent…
That should have been all we needed, Дети,
for every nation-state to act, to support them,
Evil they loosed that awful day on the theater
their refuge, their hiding place for children…

More than three years later, terror, Дети,
Cancer hospitals, apartment buildings, children
targeted by Russia’s FPV drones, human safaris,
targeting one year olds in Kherson,
daily attacks, the same evil, the same enemy;
But we remain complicit, appeasement, діти,
We draw red lines not to cross,
never fully Standing With Ukraine…

That one act of terror, war crimes, діти,
the inhumanity of Russia, of Putin,
Unrelenting terror, more than mere war,
crimes against humanity, innocent children,
on the hiding place of women and children,
bombing their seemingly safe refuge, Дети!
innocent blood taken that day, in genocide,
and yet we have remained silent…

So long ago now, normalized terror,
But then we watched in shock,
Only a month into the invasion, then,
We learned the truth about Russia,
We should have acted long ago
We should have stood with Ukraine…
Crying, “Дети!”, діти! was not enough
to save the innocent children…
 
----------
August 28, 2025
Дети – v4
 
March 16, 2022 – Bombing of Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theatre in Mariupol
July 8, 2024 – Attack on Okhmatdyt National Children’s Specialized Hospital, Kyiv
April 4, 2025 – Shelling of the playground in Kryvyi Rih
August 28, 2025
the cost of silence measured in children’s lives
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-cost-of-silence-measured-in.html
August 25, 2025
The cauldrons of Hell – 2 – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-cauldrons-of-hell-2-v2.html
August 21, 2025
Putin walked on a carpet of blood – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/putin-walked-on-carpet-of-blood-v2.html
July 12, 2025
Unrelenting Terror – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/07/unrelenting-terror-v2.html
Edited April 14, 2025
Screaming into the Void – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/screaming-into-void-v3.html
Revised April 11, 2025
Kryvyi Rih – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/kryvyi-rih-v2-kryvyi-rih-not-just.html
Edited December 12, 2024
The blood of the dead in Bucha – v6
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-blood-of-dead-in-bucha-v6.html
typed October 15, 2024
The stain of innocent blood – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-stain-of-innocent-blood-v5.html
Edited September 25, 2024
History will curse him – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/history-will-curse-him-v2.html
August 29, 2024
The dead do not yet rest in peace
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-dead-do-not-yet-rest-in-peace.html
 
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 all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
 
-------------
poetry, Ukraine, Russia, Putin, murder, terror, genocide, children,
 
#poetry #Russia #genocide #children

Дети – v3 #Children #Mariupol #Ukraine #Russia #WarCrimes

Дети, Children! A prayer, a word,
a shout of protection for them,
believing they would be safe;
But we should have known our enemy,
the choice they made that day
to butcher the innocents…
 
This moment of pure depravity,
Seared in our memory, but numb,
That should have been all we needed, Дети,
for every nation-state to act, to support them,
Evil they loosed that awful day on the theater
their refuge, their hiding place for children…
 
More than three years later, terror, Дети,
Cancer hospitals, apartment buildings, children
targeted by Russia’s FPV drones, human safaris,
daily attacks, the same evil, the same enemy;
But we remain complicit, appeasement,
never fully Standing With Ukraine…
 
That one act of terror, war crimes,
crimes against humanity, innocent children,
On the hiding place of women and children,
bombing their seemingly safe refuge, Дети!
innocent blood taken that day, in genocide,
and yet we have remained silent…
 
So long ago now, normalized terror,
Only a month into the invasion, then,
We learned the truth about Russia,
We should have acted long ago…
Crying, “Дети!” was not enough
to save the innocent children…

 
----------
August 28, 2025
Дети – v3
 
March 16, 2022 – Bombing of Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theatre in Mariupol
July 8, 2024 – Attack on Okhmatdyt National Children’s Specialized Hospital, Kyiv
April 4, 2025 – Shelling of the playground in Kryvyi Rih
August 28, 2025
the cost of silence measured in children’s lives
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-cost-of-silence-measured-in.html
August 25, 2025
The cauldrons of Hell – 2 – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-cauldrons-of-hell-2-v2.html
August 21, 2025
Putin walked on a carpet of blood – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/putin-walked-on-carpet-of-blood-v2.html
July 12, 2025
Unrelenting Terror – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/07/unrelenting-terror-v2.html
April 14, 2025
Screaming into the Void – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/screaming-into-void-v3.html
April 11, 2025
Kryvyi Rih – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/kryvyi-rih-v2-kryvyi-rih-not-just.html
December 12, 2024
The blood of the dead in Bucha – v6
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-blood-of-dead-in-bucha-v6.html
October 15, 2024
The stain of innocent blood – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-stain-of-innocent-blood-v5.html
September 25, 2024
History will curse him – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/history-will-curse-him-v2.html
August 29, 2024
The dead do not yet rest in peace
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-dead-do-not-yet-rest-in-peace.html

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, Russia, Putin, murder, terror, genocide, children,
 
#poetry #Russia #genocide #children

the cost of silence measured in children’s lives

Today’s reporting, so grim, so normal, Kyiv,
another high-rise apartment building targeted,
Innocent children murdered in their beds
while the leaders wring their hands,
“Willing” but not “Doing”, not acting,
not stopping aggression, the terror,
daily genocide committed by Russia,
no massive involvement, shared responsibility,
to end the violence, the terror, the madness…
The cost of silence measured in children’s lives
 
The cost of silence measured in children’s lives…
Attacks written into the flesh of our hearts,
on Okhmatdyt, on Kryvyi Rih, on the Mariupol theatre,
but earlier in Aleppo, in Georgia, in Chechnya…
We knew before the full-scale invasion
the enemy we are facing, the Dead Souls of Russia,
their indifference, their inhumanity, soulless people
willing to follow the lust of the madman,
the dictator in the Kremlin, longing for empire…
Allowing this to continue, unchecked,
Year after year, Day after awful day….

 
----------
August 28, 2025
the cost of silence measured in children’s lives
 
Edited August 25, 2025
Дети – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/v2.html
March 16, 2022 – Bombing of Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theatre in Mariupol
July 8, 2024 – Attack on Okhmatdyt National Children’s Specialized Hospital, Kyiv
April 4, 2025 – Shelling of the playground in Kryvyi Rih
Edited August 25, 2025
The cauldrons of Hell – 2 – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-cauldrons-of-hell-2-v2.html
Edited August 21, 2025
Putin walked on a carpet of blood – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/putin-walked-on-carpet-of-blood-v2.html
Edited July 12, 2025
Unrelenting Terror – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/07/unrelenting-terror-v2.html
Edited April 14, 2025
Screaming into the Void – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/screaming-into-void-v3.html
Revised April 11, 2025
Kryvyi Rih – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/kryvyi-rih-v2-kryvyi-rih-not-just.html
Edited December 12, 2024
The blood of the dead in Bucha – v6
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-blood-of-dead-in-bucha-v6.html
typed October 15, 2024
The stain of innocent blood – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-stain-of-innocent-blood-v5.html
Edited September 25, 2024
History will curse him – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/history-will-curse-him-v2.html
August 29, 2024
The dead do not yet rest in peace
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-dead-do-not-yet-rest-in-peace.html
 
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 all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
 
-------------
poetry, Ukraine, Russia, Putin, murder, terror, genocide, children,
 
#poetry #Ukraine #Russia #Putin #murder #terror #genocide #children