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

Day after day, year upon year,
in these harrowing hours
in the watches of the night
Safety too far to run to,
an oasis for only some...
Sheltering in place, their homes,
hunkered down in their corridors
when terror, when the Shaheds come...
 
Constantly on alert,
Their sounds now so familiar -
the roar of the missiles,
the whine of the drones,
taunting them from their rest -
awake on their mats...
holding their breaths
when sleep will not come...
 
A nation, a people on guard
in these harrowing moments,
a bag at the ready
ever ready to run
to head for shelter
Unless there is no time
for safety, for escape,
when the Moskals come...
 
They are a people on edge,
exhausted in their spirits
by years of war, terror,
holding onto humanity
waiting in their bathtubs,
with clothes to be presentable,
Just in case...
Hoping sleep will come...
 
----------
Edited July 7, 2026
In these Harrowing Hours
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/07/in-these-harrowing-hours.html
Russian attacks on Kyiv apartment buildings
July 2, 2026
Marching to their death
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/07/marching-to-their-death.html
New Russian soldiers have about a 20-minute life expectancy 
on the front lines in Ukraine. 
Edited July 1, 2026
Breaking the chains of empire - v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/07/breaking-chains-of-empire-v2.html
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
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, 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
 
Poetry, Ukraine, Kyiv, Shahed, missiles, terror, genocide, shelter, sheep, night, PTSD,
 
#Poetry #Ukraine #Kyiv #shahed #missiles #terror #genocide #shelter #sleep #night #PTSD
 
Poetry, death, Russia, soldiers, meat grinder, Ukraine,
 
#poetry #death #Russia #soldiers #meatgrinder #Ukraine

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 clothes to be presentable,
Hoping sleep will come..
 
----------
Edited July 4, 2026
In the Harrowing Hours Harrowing Hours
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/07/in-harrowing-hours-ukraine-kyiv-shahed.html
Russian attacks on Kyiv apartment buildings
July 2, 2026
Marching to their death
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/07/marching-to-their-death.html
New Russian soldiers have about a 20-minute life expectancy 
on the front lines in Ukraine. 
Edited July 1, 2026
Breaking the chains of empire - v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/07/breaking-chains-of-empire-v2.html
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
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, 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
 
Poetry, Ukraine, Kyiv, Shahed, missiles, terror, genocide, shelter, sheep, night, PTSD,
 
#Poetry #Ukraine #Kyiv #shahed #missiles #terror #genocide #shelter #sleep #night #PTSD
 
Poetry, death, Russia, soldiers, meat grinder, Ukraine,
 
#poetry #death #Russia #soldiers #meatgrinder #Ukraine

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

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...
 
----------
July 2, 2026
Harrowing Moments
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/07/harrowing-hours.html
Russian attacks on Kyiv apartment buildings
Edited July 1, 2026
Breaking the chains of empire - v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/07/breaking-chains-of-empire-v2.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, 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
 
Poetry, Ukraine, Kyiv, Shahed, missiles, terror, genocide, shelter, sheep, night, PTSD,
 
#Poetry #Ukraine #Kyiv #shahed #missiles #terror #genocide #shelter #sleep #night #PTSD

Stumbling into War – v3 #WWIII #Russia #EU #NATO #Poland #Shahed #drones #Ukraine

Every meeting, every press release,
NATO, the European Union,
the Coalition of the Willing (not Doing)
missing an exigency, the moment,
failing to act to stand with Ukraine
in this present, in their fight…
Talking about security guarantees
while the fight, the war is raging,
unmoving in the crisis, the crucible
of the terror Russia is waging…
Blinding stumbling into war,  Armageddon,
As if time was on their side…

An existential threat is growing, a crisis,
We turn a blind eye to Putin’s desires,
acts of war growing bolder, stronger,
to destabilize, division within the circle,
to prey on their addiction to oil, to gas,
seeking to decapitate the continent of Europe,
to seize power by sabotage, by assassination…
Europe’s collective power does not deter Moscow,
by a will that is stronger than their ambition,
a Coalition of the Willing but the timid
never pledging to Ukraine's victory,
Stumbling into war, Armageddon...

Do they even realize their error, their complacency,
their complicity in genocide, in their own destruction,
innocent blood is already upon them, hiding in denial,
blindly thinking invasion, terror, could never happen to them…
History demonstrates they were, that we are, in an Age of Empires,
where might defines right, where genocide is not stopped,
where their fear of escalation is exactly what will cause war…
They are stumbling into a global Armageddon,
thinking falsely that Putin will suddenly stop,
that he will be satisfied with Ukraine…
He is a madman, evil, a mass murderer.
He wants to recreate the Russian Empire…

------
September 5, 2025
Stumbling into War – v3
Weak or non-existent response of Europe to Acts of War by Russia
September 1, 2025, Russian GPS jamming of a plane carrying the European Union President
Ursula von der Leyen
And on September 1, 2025, Germany’s military inspector general, Carsten Breue
and the assassination of former Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Andriy Parubiy
Edited September 2, 2025
Decapitation – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/09/decapitation-v2.html
January 3, 2025
Hybrid War is War – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/01/hybrid-war-is-war-v2.html
September 1, 2025
our complacency is our complicity
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/09/our-complacency-is-our-complicity.html
August 30, 2025
the cost of our silence is measured in children’s lives – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-cost-of-our-silence-is-measured-in_30.html
Edited August 28, 2025
Дети – v4
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/08/v4.html  
July 12, 2025
Unrelenting Terror – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/07/unrelenting-terror-v2.html
Edited April 14, 2025
Screaming into the Void – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/screaming-into-void-v3.html
Revised April 11, 2025
Kryvyi Rih – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/04/kryvyi-rih-v2-kryvyi-rih-not-just.html
Edited December 12, 2024
The blood of the dead in Bucha – v6
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-blood-of-dead-in-bucha-v6.html
typed October 15, 2024
The stain of innocent blood – v5
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-stain-of-innocent-blood-v5.html

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 202 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

poetry, Ukraine, Russia, genocide, EU, NATO, European Union, Poland, Shahed, drones,

#poetry #Ukraine #Russia #assassination #EU #NATO #Poland #Shahed #drones