while they were shooting up #Poetry #God #Christ #Spirit #GreatCommission #Matthew28 #SouthAfrica #missionary #drugs #heroin

speaking words of love
of God, bearing witness,
there on the streets, in the slums,
down in the trenches with them
while they were shooting up
the poison in their veins...
living the Great Commission,
kneeling where they are...
 
the image so stark, so jarring,
their pain so evident, so raw,
knowing how desperately they need freedom
even as they are receiving liquid evil
bound in the chains of their addiction
in these shackles of bondage...
knowing they need Jesus
to live, to be free...
 
living the Great Commission
while they were shooting up...
speaking God’s word of salvation
to the last, the least, the lost,
crouching down with them
in their living reality...
bringing them Jesus
His light to save the world...
 
------ 
July 6, 2026
 
Faith Renewed Church
Testimony by missionary to South Africa
graphic image of missionaries talking
with heroin addicts, one with the needle
on the ground, the other with the needle in his leg...
 
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, 2025, and 2026. 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, God, Christ, Spirit, Great Commission, Matthew 28, South Africa, missionary, drugs, addiction, heroin,

#Poetry #God #Christ #Spirit #GreatCommission #Matthew28 #SouthAfrica #missionary #drugs #heroin

In the Harrowing Hours #Ukraine #Kyiv #shahed #missiles #terror #genocide #shelter #sleep #night #PTSD

in the harrowing hours

in the watches of the night

safety too far to run to,

an oasis for only some...

hunkered down in their corridors

when terror, when the Shaheds come...

their sounds now familiar - 

the roar of the missiles, 

the whine of the drones,

awake on their mats...

holding their breaths

when sleep will not come...

a people on guard

in harrowing moments,

a bag at the ready

ever ready to run

to head for shelter

when the Moskals come...

a people exhausted

by years of war, terror,

holding onto humanity

waiting in their bathtubs,

with their best underwear,

Hoping sleep will come..

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, 2025, and 2026. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. All of my poems are at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

#United #together #Ukraine #Ukrainian

Her nation, her people

Those who support Ukraine

Those who believe in freedom

For this ancient land

United together...

Let's stand against evil

As long as it takes

To achieve victory...

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, 2025, and 2026. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. All of my poems are at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

#Разом #об'єднані #United #together #Ukraine #Ukrainian

Її нація, її народ

Ті, хто підтримує Україну

Ті, хто вірить у свободу

За цю давню землю

Разом об'єднані

Стіймо проти зла

Стільки, скільки потрібно

Щоб досягти перемоги...

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, 2025, and 2026. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. All of my poems are at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Together united #Разом #об'єднані #United #together #Ukraine #Ukrainian

Her nation, her people

Those who support Ukraine 

Those who believe in freedom 

For this ancient land

Together united

Standing against evil

As long as it takes

To achieve victory...

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, 2025, and 2026. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. All of my poems are at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

#Marching to their #death #Russia #soldiers #meatgrinder #Ukraine

punching their ticket

for the madman

sealing their fate - 

a body bag...

marching to their death

certain annihilation 

less than an hour

on the contact line...

Dead Souls walking

into this battle 

meat for the grinder

soon spit out...

---------

July 3, 2026

Marching to their death

New Russian soldiers

have about a 20 minute life expectancy 

on the front lines in Ukraine. 

#Ukraine 

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, 2025, and 2026. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. All of my poems are at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Harrowing Hours #Ukraine #Kyiv #shahed #missiles #terror #genocide #shelter #sleep #night #PTSD

Harrowing Hours

too far to run to,

an oasis for only some,

hunkered down in their corridors

when the Shaheds come...

the whine of the missiles, 

the whizz of the drones,

awake on their mats

when sleep will not come...

a bag at the ready

ever ready to run

to head for shelter

when the Moskals come...

a people exhausted

by years of war, terror,

holding onto humanity

Hoping sleep will come...

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, 2025, and 2026. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. All of my poems are at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Breaking the #chains of #empire - v2 #tyrant #poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #victory #TarasShevchenko #Taras #Shevchenko #muse #Ukrainian #glory #serfdom #prison #freedom #independence #history #Crimea #SnakeIsland

Slowly, but then all of a sudden

Loosing the grip of the tyrant...

Breaking the chains of empire

fetters on their hearts...

Grains falling into the hourglass

faithful steps unfolding...

that which was planned for centuries

coming to vivid life...

A dream of freedom, legacy,

reclaiming their ancient glory...

They stand resolute, united

in this their victory...

Attrition is by inches

leading to a tipping point...

Will is stronger than size 

in their current fight...

Breaking the chains of empire

making them bleed with a thousand cuts...

Freedom is inevitable

when their work is done...

---------- 

Edited July 1, 2026

Breaking the chains of empire - v2

June 30, 2022 – Liberation of Snake Island

June 30, 1941 – Act of Restoration of the Ukrainian State

1721 – Muscovy taking the name Russia

Edited June 24, 2026

Resolve personified – v7

https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/06/resolve-personified-v7.html 

Edited March 3, 2026

Taras saw this future – v3

https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/03/taras-saw-this-future-v3.html 

This poem was inspired by a note on February 3, 2026, from Oleksandra Moskalenko,

Willem F. Duisenberg Fellow, University of Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Studies,

on LinkedIn, “Shevchenko appears to us almost a prophet, 

someone who foresaw this war and believed in our victory.”

Several of his poems speak to that to me, including “The Dream”,

“The Great Grave”, and “To Marko Vovchok”

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

#Taras saw this #future – v4 #prophet #poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #victory #TarasShevchenko #Taras #Shevchenko #muse #Ukrainian #glory #serfdom #prison #freedom #independence #history #Crimea #SnakeIsland

Taras shed blood for his nation’s colors,
He sang the song of Ukraina...
He was so much a part of Ukraine,
Her heartbeat was ever within him,
though he was far from her,
He was forever Ukraine ...
 
He flew to her from his prison,
His thoughts were ever with her...
His words are prophetic, prescient,
Taras saw this future, this moment...
He is the Kobzar, the Prophet,
He foresaw the victory of Ukraine...
 
Taras wept for Ukraine,
in his Dream, in his Testament...
He saw, he knew her weakness,
the weakness of her leaders
who obeyed the Moskals,
ransoming her legacy, her destiny…
 
Taras knew serfdom, the yoke
of sin and enslavement by the Tsar...
But he foresaw his beloved people,
united in this great struggle...
He predicted the victory of Ukraine
over Moskal’s horde…
 
So, sing songs of the Kobzar,
Read his cry for freedom,
join with his prophecy, glory...
His words are a prayer over Ukraina,
Rising from the ashes of war...
Hope, in her victory’s song…
 
--------  
Edited June 30, 2026
Taras saw this future – v4
 
This poem was inspired by a note on February 3, 2026, from Oleksandra Moskalenko,
Willem F. Duisenberg Fellow, University of Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Studies,
on LinkedIn, “Shevchenko appears to us almost a prophet,
someone who foresaw this war and believed in our victory.”
Several of his poems speak to that to me, including “The Dream”,
“The Great Grave”, and “To Marko Vovchok”
June 30, 2026
Breaking the chains of empire
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/06/breaking-chains-of-empire.html
June 30, 2022 – Liberation of Snake Island
June 30, 1941 – Act of Restoration of the Ukrainian State
1721 – Muscovy taking the name Russia
Edited June 24, 2026
Resolve personified – v7
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/06/resolve-personified-v7.html
Edited July 20, 2024
A just peace must rise – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/07/a-just-peace-must-rise-v3.html
June 29, 2024
X post by Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
https://x.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1806999435559289050
at @DubrovnikForum in Croatia
 
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, 2025, and 2026. 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, serfdom, muse, prison, Crimea, Snake Island,
 
#poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #victory #TarasShevchenko #Taras #Shevchenko #muse #Ukrainian #glory #serfdom #prison #freedom #independence #history #Crimea #SnakeIsland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Breaking the #chains of #empire #tyrant #poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #victory #TarasShevchenko #Taras #Shevchenko #muse #Ukrainian #glory #serfdom #prison #freedom #independence #history #Crimea #SnakeIsland

Slowly, then all of a sudden
the grip of the tyrant...
Breaking the chains of empire
the fetters on their hearts...
 
Grains falling into the hourglass
faithful steps unfolding
that which was planned for centuries
coming to vivid life...
 
A dream of freedom, legacy,
reclaiming their ancient glory...
Standing resolute, united
in this their victory...
 
Breaking the chains of empire
bleeding with a thousand cuts...
Freedom is inevitable
when their work is done...
 
----------
June 30, 2026
Breaking the chains of empire

https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/06/breaking-chains-of-empire.html
June 30, 2022 – Liberation of Snake Island
June 30, 1941 – Act of Restoration of the Ukrainian State
1721 – Muscovy taking the name Russia
Edited June 24, 2026
Resolve personified – v7
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/06/resolve-personified-v7.html
Edited March 3, 2026
Taras saw this future – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/03/taras-saw-this-future-v3.html
This poem was inspired by a note on February 3, 2026, from Oleksandra Moskalenko,
Willem F. Duisenberg Fellow, University of Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Studies,
on LinkedIn, “Shevchenko appears to us almost a prophet,
someone who foresaw this war and believed in our victory.”
Several of his poems speak to that to me, including “The Dream”,
“The Great Grave”, and “To Marko Vovchok”
July 20, 2024
Resolve personified
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/07/resolve-personified.html
Edited July 20, 2024
A just peace must rise – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/07/a-just-peace-must-rise-v3.html
June 29, 2024
X post by Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
https://x.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1806999435559289050
at @DubrovnikForum in Croatia
 
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, 2025, and 2026. 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, serfdom, muse, prison, Crimea,
 
#poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #victory #TarasShevchenko #Taras #Shevchenko #muse #Ukrainian #glory #serfdom #prison #freedom #independence #history #Crimea

#Ukraine must #Win – v7 #Poetry #Ukraine #victory #hope #courage #heroes #SlavaUkraini #US #NATO #EU #LetUkraineWin #terror #genocide #StandWithUkraine

We are at another inflection point,
another turn of the dial, the ratchet,
The level of horror has risen, closer,
too many major cities as targets,
of terror, of Russia’s genocide…
The one essential truth that matters,
is that Ukraine must win…
 
Language is important in this fight,
words and prayers, self-defeating,
partners must not be so stilted…
In this moment, this struggle,
The goal must be victory,
In the war that is raging,
Ukraine must win…
 
The West seems more than happy,
to let Russia become degraded,
to destroy military assets,
to kill more of their people,
to arm Ukraine not to fail,
to bleed in their struggle…
But Ukraine must win…
 
What would this war look like?
What arms would the West offer?
If their goal was Ukraine’s victory,
That Ukraine must win,
defeat Russia now, today,
in the way we would fight,
to end the awful slaughter…
 
Ukraine must win, more than just maintaining,
In the battles they are now facing, the fronts,
Twelve years is more than enough, too much,
exhausted, broken, but resolute…
Under the boot of imperial terror
more than a proxy, our ally,
Ukraine must win, today…
 
The United States, the West, NATO,
must support Ukraine in its mission,
not fearing escalation, but remembering,
Bucha, Mariupol, Irpin, Kharkiv, Kherson, so many places…
So close to the border, to chaos, the missiles,
wherever Russia is unleashing terror,
Yes, Ukraine must win… starting today…
 
----------
Edited June 25, 2026
Ukraine must win – v7
 
 
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 my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
 
Poetry, Ukraine, victory, hope, courage, heroes, country, people, Slava Ukraini, US, NATO, EU, proxy, Let Ukraine Win, Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol, terror, genocide,
 
#Poetry #Ukraine #victory #hope #courage #heroes #SlavaUkraini #US #NATO #EU #LetUkraineWin #terror #genocide #StandWithUkraine

the #threat much closer – v7 #poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #Russia #collapse #Putin #freedom #coup #coupdetat #threat #fear #paranoia #Kremlin #sin #stain #innocentblood #assasination

Bad news building, growing for Putin,
Iran has been hit, reprisals.
Syria has fallen, allies falling…
Ukraine developed ballistic missiles,
An ally shot dead in Moscow…
What does that portend for the future?
sand almost out of the hourglass...
 
How his demons must call him, shrieking,
in the darkness, taunting him beyond midnight,
Does he know them? Does he know their names?
Does it matter what he has been drinking?
finding him alone in the bunker, his cell,
nowhere to go, to escape from his night terrors…
 
His living nightmares, like the snares on Pilate,
haunted daily by their innocent blood,
as Bulgakov shared so well, tormented…
His ego captured, in fear, in distance,
keeping everyone away from him,
more than at arm’s length…
 
No, he doesn’t have to fear Ukraine, NATO,
an outside aggressor, a foreign enemy,...
The threat is much closer, truly,
within the walls of his gilded dungeon,
sometimes as close as breath,
a dagger pushed into his chest…
 
His days are numbered, his life borrowed,
their curses already spoken, a mist, a fog…
The coup will come, in an instant, suddenly,
when he least expects it, sooner,
rising from the Kremlin itself,
from its very walls…
 
Will he groan, “Et tu, Brute?”
When a friend turns the knife…
Will blood fall from his lip,
frozen in mid-air, juxtaposed
with his shocked amazement,
that they got so close…
 
---------- 
Edited June 25, 2026
the threat much closer – v7
 
Edited September 25, 2024
History will curse him – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/history-will-curse-him-v2.html
Edited September 25, 2024
His fall will be epic – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/his-fall-will-be-epic-v2.html  
September 24, 2024
Twitter post by Roman Sheremeta
https://x.com/rshereme/status/1838598704401457311
“One of the main russian propagandists Solovyev suggests
Putin's resignation, blaming the russian leadership for failures at the frontline.”
Edited September 23, 2024
A lost war of aggression – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/a-lost-war-of-aggression-v2.html
Edited September 23, 2024
Like a house of cards – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/like-house-of-cards-v2.html
Edited September 23, 2024
The weight of his failure – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-weight-of-his-failure-v2.html
September 22, 2024
Article by Carole Cadwalladr in The Guardian -
“Putin regime will collapse without warning, says freed gulag dissident”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/22/putin-regime-will-collapse-without-warning-says-freed-gulag-dissident
September 20, 2024
Article by Tom Watling in The Independent -
“The downfall of Putin is inevitable, says freed dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/vladimir-kara-murza-putin-russia-strategy-ukraine-b2615884.html
September 21, 2024
BBC Newscast - Interview: Vladimir Kara-Murza On Life In A Russian Prison
Laura Kuenssberg - full interview with Vladimir Kara-Murza and his wife Evgenia
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0js0cx1?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile
 
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, 2025, and 2026. 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, Russia, collapse, Putin, freedom, coup, coup d état, threat, fear, paranoia, Kremlin, innocent blood,
 
#poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #Russia #collapse #Putin #freedom #coup #coupdetat #threat #fear #paranoia #Kremlin #sin #stain #innocentblood

A lost #war of #aggression – v4 #poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #LetUkraineStrikeBack #strikethearchers #airbases #missiles #Russia #collapse #Putin #freedom #VladimirKaraMurza

May his words be prescient,
this historian, this freed hostage…
May his words be a beacon, a prophecy,
alive here in this moment, this now…
 
A lost war of aggression, collapse,
of this nation, his regime,
toppling of this madman, this evil…
May these words be revealed quickly…
May his prophecy spring to life…
 
So quickly could it happen,
without warning, in a few days…
The light of freedom shining brightly,
over Europe, many time zones…
 
----------  
Edited June 25, 2026
A lost war of aggression – v4
 
Refuting the clear message of Putin’s war of aggression that,
“Human life is unimportant”
And the quote of Vladimir Kara-Murza in the decision to release
Russian murderer so that those held unjustly would be free,
That each human life is important…
And my poem, “Human life is all that matters – v2”
Edited September 23, 2024
A lost war of aggression – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/a-lost-war-of-aggression-v2.html
Edited September 23, 2024
Like a house of cards – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/like-house-of-cards-v2.html
Edited September 23, 2024
The weight of his failure – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-weight-of-his-failure-v2.html
September 22, 2024
Each human life is important
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/each-human-life-is-important.html
September 22, 2024
Article by Carole Cadwalladr in The Guardian -
“Putin regime will collapse without warning, says freed gulag dissident”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/22/putin-regime-will-collapse-without-warning-says-freed-gulag-dissident
September 20, 2024
Article by Tom Watling in The Independent -
“The downfall of Putin is inevitable, says freed dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/vladimir-kara-murza-putin-russia-strategy-ukraine-b2615884.html
September 21, 2024
BBC Newscast - Interview: Vladimir Kara-Murza On Life In A Russian Prison
Laura Kuenssberg - full interview with Vladimir Kara-Murza and his wife Evgenia
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0js0cx1?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile
September 22, 2024
Human life is all that matters – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/human-life-is-all-that-matters-v2.html
Edited September 21, 2024
Their best sons and daughters – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/their-best-sons-and-daughters-v3.html
Edited August 1, 2024
Resolve personified – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/resolve-personified-v3.html
 Edited September 19, 2024
Let Ukraine Strike the Archers – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/let-ukraine-strike-archers-v2.html
Edited September 17, 2024
Let Ukraine Strike Back – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/let-ukraine-strike-back-v3.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, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026. 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, Let Ukraine Strike Back, strike the archers, air bases, missiles, Russia, collapse, Putin, freedom, Vladimir Kara-Murza,
 
#poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #LetUkraineStrikeBack #strikethearchers #airbases #missiles #Russia #collapse #Putin #freedom #VladimirKaraMurza

The #whisper of the #dead – v4 #poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #tragedy #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #Dnipro #Kharkiv #Odesa #Zaporizhia #Kyiv #Lviv

The whisper of the dead,
snap of the flags in breezes,
their breath across the way, the path,...
Each cemetery is not silent…
 
The cries of the dead, their groans,
cry out for aid, for justice,
for help for their people,
for this madness to end…
 
The whisper of their dead
breathes life into movement
snap of the flags, praying,
crying out for aid, for justice…
 
May their cries be answered,
More aid must be given, fully…
May justice come quickly…
A just peace must rise…
 
----------
Edited June 25, 2026
The whisper of the dead – v4
 
July 16, 2024
The Sound of Lviv Cemetery
https://x.com/United24media/status/1813323219954241935
X (formerly Twitter) post by United24 Media
Edited July 18, 2024
The whisper of the dead
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-whisper-of-dead.html
Edited July 17, 2024
The cries of the dead – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-cries-of-dead_17.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, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026. 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, tragedy, terror, genocide, Russia, peace, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, Okhmatdyt children’s hospital, Kyiv, Lviv,
 
#poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #tragedy #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #Dnipro #Kharkiv #Odesa #Zaporizhia #Kyiv #Lviv

“How can people be so cruel to each other?” – v7 #poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #tragedy #terror #genocide #Russia #valor #martyrs #heroes #peace #humanity #love #innocentblood #cruelty #anger #hate #warcrimes #crimesagainsthumanity #UnitedNations #YuriiHulchuk #WeStandWithUkraine

He became mute, traumatized, and terrorized,
tortured, bloodied, and beaten…
unable to speak, become a specter, a shell,
hiding deep within, protecting who he is…
But there has been a warming in his spirit,
reborn, beginning to speak, to struggle, to ask…
Asking THE important questions, truly,
the essential question, the challenge, to this world,
to leaders, for all mankind, the question to humanity…
 
“How can people be so cruel to each other?” he cries,
A freed prisoner begs us, “Why so much pain?”
He begs, “Why are there so many lies?”
in this moment of chaos, of hate, of war,
encircling this world, stalking the globe…
How could this happen, again, again,
aggression, conquest, torture, genocide,
When the world pledged, “Never Again!”,
after the Holocaust, 80 years ago…
 
This essential question, a struggle for our time,
for meaning, reconciliation, for peace to ascend,
out of the ashes of war, terror, genocide,
encircling this planet, too many to count,
martyrs and enemies, so much innocent blood…
Children in the crosshairs, old lives cut down,
lives lost to tragedy, a reign of terror falling,
“How can people be so cruel to each other?” …
How can we change that somehow?...
 
What is the path forward, out of these dark times?
How can we tear down the walls between us,
a different path, a more just future, for all of us…
Where have we gone so wrong, humanity we have lost,
the pain, the trauma, a legacy heavy upon us…
So many lives are cut down, lives frozen in time,
distracted from our paths, our hopes, our dreams…
The lament of this son who pleads with us,
to find a way out of madness, to live in peace…
 
----------------  
Edited June 25, 2026
“How can people be so cruel to each other?” – v7
 
September 26, 2024
How can people be so cruel to each other
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/how-can-people-be-so-cruel-to-each-other.html
September 26, 2024
Twitter post by Anton Gerashchenko
https://x.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1839272173401211031
“"Why so much pain? Why so many lies? Why are people so cruel to each other?" - the first words of 22-year-old marine Yurii Hulchuk, who lost his speech and the ability to experience emotions due to torture in Russian captivity.
His mother was told by Warriors who had returned from captivity earlier that her son stopped speaking back in June of 2022. Yurii returned to Ukraine on September 14, 2024. His condition shocked everyone who saw him. But despite the doctors' disappointing prognosis, Yurii started to speak.”
September 26, 2024
Twitter post by Anton Gerashchenko
https://x.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1839264945206120804
September 26, 2024
Twitter post by Olexander Scherba
https://x.com/olex_scherba/status/1839234252744913297
“Ukrainian PoW who lost his ability to speak - he started talking!”
https://x.com/i/status/1839234252744913297  
 
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, 2025, and 2026. 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, tragedy, terror, genocide, Russia, peace, humanity, love, innocent blood, cruelty, anger, hate, war crimes, crimes against humanity, United Nations, Yurii Hulchuk,
 
#poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #tragedy #terror #genocide #Russia #valor #martyrs #heroes #peace #humanity #love #innocentblood #cruelty #anger #hate #warcrimes #crimesagainsthumanity #UnitedNations #YuriiHulchuk #WeStandWithUkraine

The dead cry out – v4 #poetry #God #prayer #war #tragedy #Russia #terror #genocide #Ukraine #peace #victory

Anguished words, each of them raises...
their nation crying out, whispering,
shouting, for freedom, for justice…
The dead cry out, through them,
Untie their hands, allow them,
Give them permission, authority to crush evil,
to defend themselves, their native land…
 
Nothing more than what we would do, have done,
If our land were attacked, if we faced such terror…
The dead cry out, for us to hear them, to listen,
to let their people strike back against genocide,
the sources of terror, to rise in defiance, to say, “No”,
to imperial conquest, evil raining down upon them…
They stand in the breach for our own sake…
 
The dead cry out, “untie our hands”, let us be free…
Let our people rise from the nightmare of terror…
Let us bring freedom to the center of Europe…
Help us to defend ourselves, to feed the nations,
to bring our children home from captivity…
Hasten our victory, our triumph over evil,
that a just peace may rise, for all humanity…
 
----------  
Edited June 25, 2026
The dead cry out – v4
 
August 3, 2024
The dead cry out
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-dead-cry-out.html
July 20, 2024
Resolve personified
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/07/resolve-personified.html
Edited July 20, 2024
A just peace must rise – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/07/a-just-peace-must-rise-v3.html
June 29, 2024
X post by Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
https://x.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1806999435559289050
at @DubrovnikForum in Croatia
Edited June 29, 2024
Listen to the cries of these people – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/06/listen-to-cries-of-these-people-v2.html
Edited June 28, 2024
May the carnage end – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/06/may-carnage-end-v2.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, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026. 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, tragedy, terror, genocide, Russia, peace, victory,
 
#poetry #God #prayer #war #tragedy #Russia #terror #genocide #Ukraine #peace #victory

#Crying for #Crimea, for #Ukraine – v5 #poetry #Russia #murder #genocide #terror #warcrimes #CrimesAgainstHumanity #justice #NeverForget #NeverForgive #UN #UN80 #UNCharterDay #tribunal #CrimeanTatarFlagDay #CrimeanTatar #Ukraine #Crimea #CrimeaIsUkraine #StandWithUkraine

Crying for Crimea, for Ukraine,
ancient peoples, Tatars,
for the pain of conquest, genocide,
ripping apart, terror, deported,
stitching together, broken,
movement of hostile forces, devastation,
Invasion of a sovereign state…
 
Geopolitics, pawns in the middle,
of arrogance and raw power, evil,
bare-knuckle brute strength
invasion and a longing for empire, lust,...
Weak, quiet diplomacy, appeasement, red lines,
all of it failing, in the crucible of history
under abject aggression, a terrorist state…
 
Crying for Crimea, for Ukraine,
for the Tatar people in the middle,
for unmet promises, for apathy,
for failure to resolve, neglecting,
allowing slaughter, massacre, genocide,...
Letting their nation be destroyed in false neutrality,
while we have the means to help…
 
-------------
Edited June 25, 2026
Crying for Crimea, for Ukraine – v4
 
I was so proud to be asked to hold the #Crimean #Tatar flag at a rally in my city on May 31, 2025.
My first poem in support of Ukraine was "crying for Crimea", on April 11, 2014.
Edited November 19, 2023
Crying for Crimea, for Ukraine – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2023/11/crying-for-crimea-for-ukraine-v2_19.html
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2023/11/crying-for-crimea-for-ukraine-v2.html
Edited September 3, 2023
Crying for Crimea, for Ukraine
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2023/09/crying-for-crimea-for-ukraine.html
April 11, 2014
crying for Crimea
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/04/crying-for-crimea.html
Edited February 25, 2023
In the crucible of terror – v6
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2023/02/in-crucible-of-terror-v6.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, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026. 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, war, terror, genocide, Russia, murder, Stand With Ukraine, justice, tribunal, United Nations, UN, UN Charter Day, Crimean Tatar Flag Day,
 
#poetry #Russia #murder #genocide #terror #warcrimes #CrimesAgainstHumanity #justice #NeverForget #NeverForgive #UN #UN80 #UNCharterDay #tribunal #CrimeanTatarFlagDay #CrimeanTatar #Ukraine #Crimea #CrimeaIsUkraine #StandWithUkraine