#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

#Ukraine must #Win – v6 #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,
Eleven 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 December 2, 2025
Ukraine must win – v6
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/12/ukraine-must-win-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, 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, 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

Equipoise – v2

Ukraine needs momentum, progress,
recommitment of their allies, together,
a groundswell, a breaking of inertia,
something to overwhelm attrition,
the slow grinding of the earth, danger,
needing a breaking of the enemy, sanctions,
a chink in their armor, more evident,
to see their hope fully justified,
a way to victory, to peace…
 
Equipoise, waiting, stuck by delay,
lies of the enemy, playing allies, evil,
seeking to distract from their terror,
the genocide they are committing,
to freeze the hands of these people,
fighting to defend, to survive, allies
bowing to demands of tyrants,
no longer pawns, proxies, victims,
but conquering heroes in this fight…
 
----------
Edited April 4, 2025
Equipoise – v2
 
Edited December 23, 2024
Ukraine must win – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/ukraine-must-win-v5.html
February 28, 2025
Gathering a War Council
Photograph of President Zelenskyy with leaders of Nordic
and Baltic nations on February 24, 2025 in Kyiv
on the 3^rd anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion
February 27, 2025
touching bleeding flesh
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/touching-bleeding-flesh-defender.html
(written by a 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
"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 "
&
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 defender of Ukraine 
&
edited February 15, 2025
Three years of terror, of genocide – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/three-years-of-terror-genocide-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, 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, 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

Equipoise

Ukraine needs momentum,
recommitment of their allies,
a groundswell, a breaking of inertia,
something to overwhelm attrition,
the slow grinding of the earth,
to see a break in the enemy, sanctions,
a chink in their armor, more evident,
to see their hope fully justified,
to see a way to victory, to peace…
 
Equipoise, waiting, stuck by delay,
lies of the enemy, playing allies, evil,
seeking to distract from their terror,
the genocide they are committing,
to freeze the hands of these people,
fighting to defend, to survive,
bowing to demands of evil, tyrants,
no longer pawns, proxies, victims,
but conquering heroes in this fight…
 
----------
April 2, 2025
Equipoise
 
Edited December 23, 2024
Ukraine must win – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/ukraine-must-win-v5.html
February 28, 2025
Gathering a War Council
Photograph of President Zelenskyy with leaders of Nordic
and Baltic nations on February 24, 2025 in Kyiv
on the 3^rd anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion
February 27, 2025
touching bleeding flesh
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/touching-bleeding-flesh-defender.html
(written by a 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
"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 "
&
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 defender of Ukraine 
&
edited February 15, 2025
Three years of terror, of genocide – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/three-years-of-terror-genocide-v2.html
&
Edited September 4, 2024
Ukraine must win – v4
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/ukraine-must-win-v4.html
April 2, 2024
My response: "Ukraine winning this war, defeating
the imperial terror is Russia" is a key precondition to
lasting sustainable peace in Europe”
April 2, 2024 Twitter post by
Olena Halushka
https://twitter.com/OlenaHalushka/status/1775211466347643036
“Russia losing this war is a key precondition to
lasting sustainable peace in Europe”
&
Edited March 31, 2024
The blood of the dead of Bucha – v4
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-blood-of-dead-in-bucha-v4.html
&
March 19, 2024
Statement by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin
https://www.defense.gov/News/Speeches/Speech/Article/3710899/opening-remarks-by-secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-at-the-20th-ukraine/
at Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Germany
“The United States will not let Ukraine fail.
This coalition will not let Ukraine fail, and
the free world will not let Ukraine fail,”
Neither the word “win” nor the word “victory”
Is included in Austin’s opening remarks…
 
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, and 2024. 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, 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

If #Russia is not stopped in #Ukraine – v2

We cannot live in delusions,
wishing away reality, this truth,
hoping peace will come quickly,
that the stars would align,
that his lusts would be vanquished,
that his goals would be quieted,
peace of its own according rising,
that the leopard would change its spots…
 
The brutal warlord, the man in the bunker,
this mass murderer of his people, of nations,
bent on genocide, on terror, on destruction
of one of its closest neighbors,
He will not stop, he will not relent,
giving up dreams of empire, of expansion,
willing to destroy everything, everyone,
happy to govern scorched earth…
 
If Russia is not stopped in Ukraine,
if Russia is not defeated, now,
Russia will not stop with Ukraine,
attacking other nations, other neighbors,
seeking to fulfill, to achieve,
subjugation of other people, lands,
to reconstitute a defeated empire,
that lives in his fevered dreams…

----------
Edited March 2, 2025
If Russia is not stopped in Ukraine – v2
 
Edited March 1, 2025
Gathering a War Council – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/03/gathering-war-council-v2.html
Photograph of President Zelenskyy with leaders of Nordic
and Baltic nations on February 24, 2025 in Kyiv
on the 3^rd anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion
February 27, 2025
touching bleeding flesh
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/touching-bleeding-flesh-defender.html
(written by a 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
"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 "
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 defender of Ukraine 
edited February 15, 2025
Three years of terror, of genocide – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/three-years-of-terror-genocide-v2.html
Edited December 23, 2024
Ukraine must win – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/ukraine-must-win-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, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. 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.
 
terror, Ukraine, victory, genocide, NATO, hope, courage, EU, heroes, Let Ukraine Win, US, poetry, Europe,
 
#Poetry #Ukraine #victory #hope #courage #heroes #US #NATO #EU #terror #genocide #StandWithUkraine #Europe

If #Russia is not stopped in #Ukraine

The brutal warlord, the man in the bunker,
the mass murderer of his people, of nations,
bent on genocide, on terror, on destruction
of one of its closest neighbors,
He will not stop, he will not relent,
giving up dreams of empire, of expansion,
willing to destroy everything, everyone,
happy to govern scorched earth…
 
If Russia is not stopped in Ukraine,
if Russia is not defeated, now,
Russia will not stop with Ukraine,
attacking other nations, other neighbors,
seeking to fulfill, to achieve,
subjugation of other people, land,
to reconstitute an empire,
that lives in his fevered dreams…

 
----------
March 2, 2025
If Russia is not stopped in Ukraine
 
Edited March 1, 2025
Gathering a War Council – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/03/gathering-war-council-v2.html
Photograph of President Zelenskyy with leaders of Nordic
and Baltic nations on February 24, 2025 in Kyiv
on the 3^rd anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion
February 27, 2025
touching bleeding flesh
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/touching-bleeding-flesh-defender.html
(written by a 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
"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 "
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 defender of Ukraine 
edited February 15, 2025
Three years of terror, of genocide – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/three-years-of-terror-genocide-v2.html
Edited December 23, 2024
Ukraine must win – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/ukraine-must-win-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, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. 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.
 
terror, Ukraine, victory, genocide, NATO, hope, courage, EU, heroes, Let Ukraine Win, US, poetry, Europe,
 
#Poetry #Ukraine #victory #hope #courage #heroes #US #NATO #EU #terror #genocide #StandWithUkraine #Europe

Gathering a War Council – v2 #Ukraine

We have reached another fork in the path,
another inflection point, a decision,
no longer able to rely on, to trust,
every member, each partner, each ally,
needing to draw inward, to lean on
a narrower circle of neighbors, allies,
those who will walk with them, stand with them,
faithfully, gathering a War Council, on this day,
on the three-year anniversary of war,
the world is rapidly changing, fluid,
needing to know with certainty,
they will be there until the end
Until victory is won…
 
Coming to the center, to Kyiv,
standing with them on this anniversary,
when terror, genocide found them,
gathering a War Council, these nations,
partners in this struggle, committed,
a wider circle will come, other nations,
but a core, a center, together,
those who know this enemy,
those who have walked this path,
ready to do what it will take,
to overcome attrition, genocide,
to beat back the evil of terror,
Until victory is won…

 
----------
Edited March 1, 2025
Gathering a War Council – v2
 
February 28, 2025
Gathering a War Council
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/gathering-war-council.html
Photograph of President Zelenskyy with leaders of Nordic
and Baltic nations on February 24, 2025 in Kyiv
on the 3^rd anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion
February 27, 2025
touching bleeding flesh
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/touching-bleeding-flesh-defender.html
(written by a 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
"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 "
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 defender of Ukraine 
edited February 15, 2025
Three years of terror, of genocide – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/three-years-of-terror-genocide-v2.html
Edited December 23, 2024
Ukraine must win – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/ukraine-must-win-v5.html
Edited March 31, 2024
The blood of the dead of Bucha – v4
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-blood-of-dead-in-bucha-v4.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, and 2024. 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.
 
terror, Ukraine, victory, genocide, NATO, hope, Slava Ukraini, courage, EU, heroes, Let Ukraine Win, US, poetry, Baltic States, Nordic States,
 
#Poetry #Ukraine #victory #hope #courage #heroes #SlavaUkraini #US #NATO #EU #LetUkraineWin #terror #genocide #StandWithUkraine #Nordic #Baltic

Gathering a War Council #Zelenskyy #Ukraine #Nordic #Baltic

No longer able to trust, to rely on,
every member, each partner,
needing to draw inward, to lean on
a narrower circle of neighbors, allies,
those who will walk with them,
gathering a War Council, on this day,
on the three-year anniversary of war,
the world rapidly changing,
needing to know with certainty,
they will be there until the end
Until victory is won…
 
Coming to the center, to Kyiv,
gathering a War Council, nations,
partners in the struggle, committed,
a wider circle will come, others,
but a core, a center, together,
those who know this enemy,
those who have walked this path,
ready to do what it will take,
to overcome attrition, genocide,
to beat back the evil of terror,
Until victory is won…

 
----------
February 28, 2025
Gathering a War Council
 
Photograph of President Zelenskyy with leaders of Nordic
and Baltic nations on February 24, 2025 in Kyiv
on the 3^rd anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion
February 27, 2025
touching bleeding flesh
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/touching-bleeding-flesh-defender.html
(written by a 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
"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 "
&
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 defender of Ukraine 
&
edited February 15, 2025
Three years of terror, of genocide – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/02/three-years-of-terror-genocide-v2.html
&
Edited December 23, 2024
Ukraine must win – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/ukraine-must-win-v5.html
&
Edited March 31, 2024
The blood of the dead of Bucha – v4
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-blood-of-dead-in-bucha-v4.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, and 2024. 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, 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 #country #people #SlavaUkraini #US #NATO #EU #proxy #LetUkraineWin #Bucha #Irpin #Mariupol #terror #genocide #StandWithUkraine