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
 

Don’t give #Ukraine to the #Madman – v7 #poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #victory #TarasShevchenko #Taras #Shevchenko #Ukrainian #freedom #independence #history #invasion #fouryears #1000Days #NATO #Putin #fear #death #Kyiv #Crimea #StandWithUkraine #RussiaIsATerroristState

Our prayer repeating, recurring, urgent,
Frozen in time, unresolved, waiting,
a nation in rubble, burning, forgotten,
standing on its own, too long...
Fighting for democracy…
Don’t let evil win, be triumphant,
Don’t give Ukraine to the Madman
It will not be the end of his dreams…
 
Our silence crying out, longing,
Our prayer repeating this day,
to retake the stage, the breath,
to join them in their fight…
Evil only understands threat/ resolve,
his card of nuclear Armageddon…
The West cowed once again….
A rabid Bear on the march…
 
His dreams of conquest, an empire,
The lies of his own propaganda,
destruction of just one nation, Ukraine,
isn’t the end of his mission, his purpose,
His cry for ancient blood…
His fevered quest is much greater,...
We must stop him now, here,
before he kills, and kills again…
 
-------
Edited June 25, 2026
Don’t give Ukraine to the Madman – v7
 
March 5, 2022
Don’t give Ukraine to the Madman
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/03/dont-give-ukraine-to-madman.html
edited March 6, 2022
The man in the bunker – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-man-in-bunker-v2.html
March 5, 2022
The man in the bunker
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-man-in-bunker.html
February 28, 2022
https://twitter.com/dhakar_puneet/status/1498385709627224065
Ukraine Ambassador to United Nations
extracts of his speech to the General Assembly
 
March 4, 2022
International law means nothing
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/03/international-law-means-nothing.html
March 4, 2022
A brutal heartless murderer
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/03/a-brutal-heartless-murderer.html
edited February 28, 2022
In the crucible of terror – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/in-crucible-of-terror-v5.html
edited February 27, 2022
A run on the banks – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/a-run-on-banks-v3.html
edited February 26, 2022
The insanity of these minutes – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-insanity-of-these-minutes-v2.html
February 25, 2022
The insanity of these minutes
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-insanity-of-these-minutes.html
my second poem about Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine,
on the second day of the invasion
February 25, 2022
In the crucible of terror
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/in-crucible-of-terror.html
My first poem about Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine,
February 24, 2022
On the 2nd day of the full-scale invasion…
February 25, 2022
Signs of the End Times
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/02/signs-of-end-times.html
"Signs of the End Times" was trying to make sense of what was happening,
with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia on February 24, 2022,
but not just the full-scale invasion, and it is in my Published poems folder on
my desktop, but it truly was in real-time, me trying to understand how
the full-scale invasion could be happening.
 
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, 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, invasion, four years, NATO, Putin, fear, death, Kyiv, Crimea,
 
#poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #victory #TarasShevchenko #Taras #Shevchenko #Ukrainian #freedom #independence #history #invasion #fouryears #1000Days #NATO #Putin #fear #death #Kyiv #Crimea #StandWithUkraine #RussiaIsATerroristState

A #war of #genocide – v4 #poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #tragedy #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #Poltava #Kharkiv #Kyiv #Lviv #DayofRemembrance #Ilovaisk #FlagDay #remembranceday #Holodomor #Tatar #BabiYar #DefendersDay #IndependenceDay #NationalAnthem

Twelve years, acts of terror, erasure,
a hybrid war of evil, of genocide,
seeking to destroy their culture…
An existential threat, survival,
bombing icons, treasures, history,
seeking to destroy printing, literature,
even denying the names of their cities,
denying their right to even exist…
 
Purposeful evil, terror, war crimes,
systematic erasure, propaganda,
stealing history, denying existence,
appropriating that which isn’t theirs…
Claiming their rights, their power,
usurpers in their midst, oppressors,
trying to control, to steal, to diminish,
that which makes them unique…
 
Fighting an aggressor, a false master,
a bully, an empire, a capital rising,
built on terror, the backs of the fallen,
their falsehoods, their fabrications,
a narrative, a lie of conquest, propaganda,
their origin story another’s history…
These good and noble people living,
in power before they came to exist…
 
An amalgam of nations, of subjugation,
centuries of repression, torment, struggle,
pushing nations into slavery, serfdom…
A bloodlust for conquest, for empire,
harsh masters, subordination, defiance,
only seeking dominion, erasure,
not seeing them as their brothers,
not seeing their holy right to exist…
 
Taking what wasn’t, what isn’t theirs,
stealing history, destroying culture,
a bloody war of attrition, of genocide,
Today again creating scorched earth;
But these People are rising resolute, resilient,
speaking with power, “Never Again!” …
This time, We will fight for independence…
This time, We will fight and win…
 
-----------
Edited June 25, 2026
A war of genocide – v4
 
This poem is about the nature of this conflict. Russia is not just waging war on Ukraine. Russia seeks to remove Ukraine from the earth, from maps, from history, from culture. Russia seeks to subjugate all of Ukraine’s people as Russians.
Edited January 3, 2025
A war of genocide – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/01/a-war-of-genocide-v2.html
Edited/ new name January 2, 2025
A war of genocide
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/01/a-war-of-genocide.html
Edited December 2, 2024
Stealing History – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/stealing-history-v2.html
November 30, 2024
Sacred Days
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/11/sacred-days.html
Edited September 6, 2024
Flying from every flagpole – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/flying-from-every-flagpole-v2.html
September 6, 2024
Trampled, beaten, yet unbowed
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/trampled-beaten-yet-unbowed.html
August 27, 2024
The Flag of their Independence
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-flag-of-their-independence.html
Ukraine National Flag Day – August 23, 2024
Edited August 1, 2024
Resolve personified – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/resolve-personified-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, war, tragedy, terror, genocide, Russia, peace, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Lviv, Day of Remembrance, Ilovaisk, Poltava, Independence Day, Holodomor, Defenders Day, National Anthem,

#poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #tragedy #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #Poltava #Kharkiv #Kyiv #Lviv #DayofRemembrance #Ilovaisk #FlagDay #remembranceday #Holodomor #Tatar #BabiYar #DefendersDay #IndependenceDay #NationalAnthem

Stealing #History – v4 #poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #tragedy #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #Poltava #Kharkiv #Kyiv #Lviv #DayofRemembrance #Ilovaisk #FlagDay #remembranceday #Holodomor #Tatar #BabiYar #DefendersDay #IndependenceDay #NationalAnthem #HeavenlyHundred

Systematic erasure, propaganda,
stealing history, denying existence,
appropriating that which isn’t theirs,...
usurpers in their midst, oppressors,
trying to control, to steal, to diminish,
that which makes them unique…
 
Fighting an aggressor, a false master,
a bully, an empire, a capital rising,
built on terror, the backs of the fallen,
a narrative, a lie of conquest, propaganda,
their origin story another’s history,
These good and noble people living,
in power before they came to exist…
 
Centuries of repression, torment, struggle,
pushing the people into slavery, serfdom,
a bloodlust for conquest, for empire,...
harsh masters, subordination, defiance,
not seeing them as their brothers,
not seeing their holy right to exist…
 
Taking what wasn’t, what isn’t theirs,
stealing history, destroying culture,
Today, again, creating scorched earth,...
But these people are rising resolute, resilient,
speaking with power, “never again” …
This time, we will fight for independence,
this time we will fight and win…
 
-----------
June 25, 2026
Stealing History – v4
 
November 30, 2024
Sacred Days
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/11/sacred-days.html
Edited September 6, 2024
Flying from every flagpole – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/flying-from-every-flagpole-v2.html
September 6, 2024
Trampled, beaten, yet unbowed
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/trampled-beaten-yet-unbowed.html
August 27, 2024
The Flag of their Independence
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-flag-of-their-independence.html
National Day of Remembrance – August 29, 2024
Ukraine Independence Day – August 24, 2024
Ukraine National Flag Day – August 23, 2024
Edited August 30, 2024
The dead do not yet rest in peace – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-dead-do-not-yet-rest-in-peace-v2.html
Edited August 28, 2024
The whisper of the dead – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-whisper-of-dead-v2.html
July 16, 2024
The Sound of Lviv Cemetery
https://x.com/United24media/status/1813323219954241935
X (formerly Twitter) post by United24 Media
edited August 27, 2024
The stain of innocent blood – v4
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-stain-of-innocent-blood-v4.html 
Edited/new name August 27, 2024
Streets of their cities run red with blood
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/streets-of-their-cities-run-red-with.html
Edited August 1, 2024
Resolve personified – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/08/resolve-personified-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, 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, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Lviv, Day of Remembrance, Ilovaisk, Poltava, Independence Day, Holodomor, Defenders Day, National Anthem,
 
#poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #tragedy #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #Poltava #Kharkiv #Kyiv #Lviv #DayofRemembrance #Ilovaisk #FlagDay #remembranceday #Holodomor #Tatar #BabiYar #DefendersDay #IndependenceDay #NationalAnthem #HeavenlyHundred

Flying from every flagpole – v6 #poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #FlagDay #Kydrava

Another year of war,
daily, nightly terror, evil,
the resilience of their people
standing against our enemy,...
The madman in the bunker,
Resolutely holding their ground...
 
So much has been lost, ...
They have sacrificed so much,
lives put on hold, lives cut short,
blood-filled streets and trenches,...
A nation’s prayer is buried with them,
in the soil of this land that they love…
 
A nation flying her colors,
Flying from every flagpole,
the flag of Ukraine, their land,
a vast rising sea of blue and yellow, ...
A nation rising from the ashes of struggle,
striving to meet the new dawn…
 
Light shining down upon them,
and glowing within each one of them,
a new birth, in victory, in triumph,
sharing a daily Moment of Honor,...
Rising from their black soil,
a nation healed, restored…
 
Draped over the shoulders of heroes,
Flying from every flagpole,
the flag of a triumphant Ukraine,
a nation lifted in prayer, together,...
Strength is their unity, rising higher,
into the light of a new day…
 
This is our continuing prayer…
 
-----------
Edited June 24, 2026
Flying from every flagpole – v6
 
Ukrainian National Flag Day, Day of the National Flag – August 23, 2025
Ukrainian Independence Day, Independence Day of Ukraine – August 24, 2025
Edited August 23, 2025
The Flag of their Independence – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-flag-of-their-independence-v2.html
Edited September 8, 2024
Trampled, beaten, yet unbowed – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/trampled-beaten-yet-unbowed-v3.html
Revised August 23, 2024
Facebook post by Khrystyna Kydrava:
“Today my blue and yellow flag is stained with the blood of the best sons and daughters of the Ukrainian nation, trampled by the dirty boots of the Russian soldier, covered in mud from explosions in the trenches, carefully folded and hidden from the occupiers in Ukrainian black soil.
Today, my flag is the colour of blood and soil, today my flag is the flag of the STRUGGLE and resilience of the Ukrainian people. I want a peaceful yellow and blue to fly all over every Ukrainian home, and for now, we fight, and our STRENGTH is in UNITY.”
August 23, 2023, Ukrainian National Flag Day
Instagram post by Khrystyna Boychuk, Христина Кудрява, Kydrava_
“Today my blue and yellow flag is dripped with the blood of the best sons and daughters of the Ukrainian nation, trampled by the dirty Kirzachs of the Russian soldier, soaked in the ground from explosions in the trench, carefully folded and hidden from the occupier in the Ukrainian black land.
Today my heart is filled with destructive hatred for the occupier and boundless love for a neighbor who protects and gave his life for me, for each of us.
Today my flag is the color of blood and earth. Today my flag is the flag of STRUGGLE and invincibility of the Ukrainian people.
I most want that over every Ukrainian housing of majors peaceful yellow-blue, and while we fight and POWER is ours in UNITY”
 
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, victory, hope, courage, heroes, US, NATO, terror, genocide, self-defense,
  
#poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #FlagDay

the front will be everywhere – v5 #poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #victory #TarasShevchenko #Ukrainian #glory #freedom #independence #history

фронт буде всюди

If we are not awake, to their terror,
glide bombs, missiles, cluster munitions,
drones, with no fear of reprisals, attacks,
no consequences to their actions, ...
Their crimes against humanity,
their acts of cruel genocide
will only escalate...
 
We pray, hoping for change, wisdom, resolve,
for eyes to be opened, for hearts to be ready,
for allies to rise in equal measure,...
For bravery to match theirs, these people,
courage to serve Ukraine's needs, fully,
to keep the bear from escalation,
from their attacks, scorched earth...
 
The front line must be all, our stand,
with them, for victory, for peace,...
We must give them what they need,...
Or the front will be everywhere,
every home, every life, everyone,
a target, a victim, a martyr,
a testament to chaos, to hate...
 
So much carnage, destruction,
their bombs destroying life,
lives, history, culture lost, more martyrs,
while we say “Never Again”...
While the West dithers, delays,
while they debate and wait, ...
asleep in their safe beds...
 
--------  
Edited June 24, 2026
the front will be everywhere – v5
 
Quote: “На фронті будуть всі,
aбо фронт буде всюди”
“Everyone will be at the front,
or the front will be everywhere"
November 12, 2024
the front will be everywhere
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-front-will-be-everywhere.html
&
Edited November 11, 2024
Attrition – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/11/attrition-v3.html
November 1, 2024
Skin in the game
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/11/skin-in-game.html
Edited and posted October 17, 2024
In this moment of madness – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/in-this-moment-of-madness-v2_27.html
Edited and posted October 17, 2024
A death sentence – 2 – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/a-death-sentence-2-v2_26.html
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/a-death-sentence-2-v2_25.html
Edited and posted October 17, 2024
The anguished words of the defenders
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-anguished-words-of-defenders-v2_26.html
Edited and posted October 17, 2024
Ten years under the gun – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/ten-years-under-gun-v2_26.html
Written and posted October 15, 2024
in this moment of madness
Typed October 18, 2024
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/in-this-moment-of-madness_25.html
&
Written and posted October 12, 2024
In the crucible of war – 2 – v1
Typed October 17, 2024
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/in-crucible-of-war-2-v1_25.html
Edited and posted October 17, 2024
A death sentence – 2 – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/a-death-sentence-2-v2_25.html
written and posted October 11, 2024
The anguished words of the defenders
typed October 17, 2024
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-anguished-words-of-defenders.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, terror, genocide, Russia, peace, victory, Taras Shevchenko, Ukrainian, freedom, independence, history, glory,
 
#poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #victory #TarasShevchenko #Ukrainian #glory #freedom #independence #history