eating like #locusts – v2 #poetry #Ukraine #Russia #NATO #war #invasion #terror #genocide #StandWithUkraine #FourYears #Europe #Zelenskyy #Trump #Putin

They are not swift, but unrelenting,
Grinding out meters, bodies given,
pushing forward, hurling great terror
an onslaught, attrition...
constant bombardment, eating like locusts
relentless evil, taking,
leaving destruction, scorched earth...
 
They are immoral, without conscience,
deal souls of a nation attacking
relentlessly destroying,
whose strength is their god...
not bound by prayer,
by the sovereignty of God,
guilty, to be overcome...
 
They are wicked, holding power,
Holding ground, they should not
for a time, for this season,
But they will be defeated in God’s time...
in a way we do not understand,
Their might will be forsaken,
The innocent will find peace...
 
--------------
Edited February 16, 2026
eating like locusts – v2
 
Based on #Habakkuk1:5-11
Based on Habakkuk 1:2a
Based on Habakkuk 1:1-11
Sermon by Nate Labadorf
Griggs Memorial Baptist Church
Russia’s full scale-invasion of Ukraine, and their destruction
of cities and villages throughout Ukraine.
Edited February 14, 2026
touching bleeding flesh – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/02/touching-bleeding-flesh-v3.html
on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
and the thirty-fifth anniversary of my father’s black-ice fatal car accident, February 14, 1991.
Edited February 26, 2025
touching bleeding flesh – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/touching-bleeding-flesh-v2.html
"The present memory of that day" is both 2/24/2022 for Ukraine and Ukrainians
and 2/14/1991 for me personally. I am using my experience of detailed visceral
images of lifting the blood and brains of my father to give even a touch of
authenticity to this poem, merging my conversation with one defender and
the words of that other defender yesterday to write "touching bleeding flesh "
February 14, 2026
Days turned to Years
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/02/days-have-turned-to-years.html
On the Fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, February 24, 2026
Edited February 13, 2026
touching bleeding flesh – v2 – defender
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/02/touching-bleeding-flesh-v2-written-by.html
(written by a decorated medic on the front lines in Ukraine)
February 27, 2025
touching bleeding flesh
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/touching-bleeding-flesh-defender.html
(written by a decorated medic on the front lines in Ukraine)
Edited February 13, 2026
The Cost of Dignity – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/02/the-cost-of-dignity-v2.html
 Ukraine Olympic flagbearer and Skeleton slider, Vladyslav Heraskevych, and helmet of honor
Edited December 28, 2025
echoes of the metronome – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/12/echoes-of-metronome-v3.html
during Moment of Honor (Вшануй), at 9:00am daily in Ukraine
https://www.threads.com/@moment_of_honor
https://www.facebook.com/momentofhonor/
https://www.instagram.com/moment_of_honor/
“We are a team that promotes the Minute of Silence
Edited December 23, 2025
no minute of silence – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/12/no-minute-of-silence-v3.html
based on an Instagram post by Julia Kochetova,
https://www.instagram.com/reels/DRH98GHiKSp/
Edited August 20, 2025
Flying from every flagpole – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/flying-from-every-flagpole-v5.html
June 4, 2025
to remember the dead
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/06/to-remember-dead.html
“to remember the dead is to appreciate the living”
Quote by defender about Cheka Fest, June 1, 2025 in Lviv,
https://www.instagram.com/cheka.fest/
2,000 participants remembered fallen combat medic Iryna "Cheka" Tsybukh,
who died May 29, 2024, days before her 26^th birthday on June 1, 2024.
Edited May 22, 2025
You hold each of them so closely – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/05/you-hold-each-of-them-so-closely-v2.html
a video (https://www.instagram.com/p/DHlbX7MtEjg/) of Ukrainian women defenders making Ukrainian Easter eggs with a picture of combat medic Iryna "Cheka" Tsybukh on the table.
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
February 27, 2025
touching bleeding flesh
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/touching-bleeding-flesh-defender.html
(written by a decorated medic on the front lines in Ukraine)
Edited February 26, 2025
touching bleeding flesh – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/touching-bleeding-flesh-v2.html
Edited February 26, 2025
The present memory of that day – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-present-memory-of-that-day-v2.html
February 25, 2025
Memory of February 24, 2022
as described by a defender of Ukraine, in uniform since 2013.
edited February 15, 2025
Three years of terror, of genocide – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/three-years-of-terror-genocide-v2.html
March 5, 2022
Don’t give Ukraine to the Madman
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/03/dont-give-ukraine-to-madman.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, Russia, NATO, war, invasion, Putin, terror, genocide, Crimea, 1000 Days, Four Years, Europe, Zelenskyy, Trump,  Stand With Ukraine, full-scale invasion,
 
#poetry #Ukraine #Russia #NATO #war #invasion #terror #genocide #StandWithUkraine #FourYears #Europe #Zelenskyy #Trump #Putin