4 April 2022

Poem

Street Art in Cardiff                                                                    © Gareth James 2022 (Geograph)

Ukraine April 4th 2022
 
The names are familiar now
Like echoes from history
My Lai, Guernica  and Oradour-sur-Glane
Rolled upon the tongue
Like boiled sweets
Found scattered in the streets
Of Kharkiv,  Bucha and Mariupol
“There are no threats to the civilian population”.
 
They staged it all
Those damned “khokol”
Brought in Hollywood set designers
Fake bodies, fake car wrecks
Fake apartment blocks blown to smithereens
Fake tanks abandoned at fake roadsides
Fakery is all…
“There are no threats to the civilian population”.
 
Checking his hair
The tyrant seethes in his lair
Ineptitude and lies lurk everywhere
Fists beat the desk like a drum
Praise to old times and fading glory
Let us resume our epic story
And remember
“There are no threats to the civilian population”.

32 comments:

  1. An excellent and very moving poem Mr Pudding.

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  2. Yes. Imagine the arrogance of a person thinking the truth would not get out.

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    1. The concept of truth appears to puzzle Putrid.

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  3. Quite moving - both the poem and the street art.

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  4. Anonymous12:08 am

    Nice work about an un-nice matter.
    The tear in the eye is amazing. How did he do it! It is a moving work of art.

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    1. Amazing art in a neglected part of the Welsh capital. Thanks for reading the poem Andrew.

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  5. Liars lie. That is what they do. And megalomaniacs are liars. And people die while they lie.
    That street art, like your poem, is so moving.

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    1. Thank you for your consideration Ms Moon.

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  6. Powerful. And so well written.

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    1. I feel honoured by this remark Catalyst. Thank you.

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  7. A very moving poem.
    I have visited Oradour. It has a strange feeling.
    I have a book about it and would be more than happy to pop it in the post for you.

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    1. That's kind of you Christina. Clearly Oradour's message has remained unheard in The Kremlin.

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  8. Great poem and superb artwork.

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    1. Sadly I am only responsible for one Dave.

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  9. "No threats to the civilian population"
    That man is a Liar, Liar, pants on fire, insane little bully.
    The mural brings tears to my own eyes.

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    Replies
    1. I took that line from TASS - the official Russian news agency.

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  10. And its deliberate, all deliberate. The actions of war to frighten the people. Women fear rape, someone said on the radio yesterday, the first thing she grabbed was a condom and a pair of scissors. We cannot even think what it is like wandering round ruined apartments and streets. Your poem captures it, but the responsibility spreads down from the top, through the generals and soldiers.

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    1. They have opened up a can of worms that will wriggle long after the war in UKraine reaches a conclusion.

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  11. A very moving poem and excellent choice of artwork.

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    1. I know you do not give out praise lightly Carol so I really appreciate your response.

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  12. An amazing mural. A liar assumes everyone else is lying. I so pray we can hunt that man down and make him pay.

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    1. He can never carry on as though it's still yesteryear. He has chosen to be a ruthless mass murderer.

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  13. At least everyone knows he's lying. Even the Russians know he's lying.

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    1. I suppose war has always been like this - using lies and truth as weapons.

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  14. Your poem paints a vivid picture, so sad to hear and see what's been done to Ukraine, when will it ever end.

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    1. Maybe the legacy of the war in Ukraine will last for decades.

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  15. "Checking his hair
    The tyrant seethes in his lair"
    That line was the most visual of all to me. I can't wait for the day he is pulled from his lair.

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    1. Mass murderers deserve more than a life sentence in some comfortable jail.

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  16. Well done on the poem. You chose your words well and it is very touching. That artwork is amazing too.
    I hope for peace for Ukraine.

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    1. Thank you for your kind words Ellen.

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Mr Pudding welcomes all genuine comments - even those with which he disagrees. However, puerile or abusive comments from anonymous contributors will continue to be given the short shrift they deserve. Any spam comments that get through Google/Blogger defences will also be quickly deleted.

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