"For a moment of life,
For a moment of death,
A poet left already love for home.
For a moment of peace,
For a moment of fight,
A poet left already Lviv for Luhansk.
For a moment of smile,
For a moment of sigh,
A poet left already love for home."
(Kurama)
"Red-brick and stone walls.
Blue sky and a white cloud.
The glory of the heritage.
Survived two world wars.
Black smoke poured out.
Red flames blazed up.
Through a targeted shelling.
In the school of hard knocks..."(Kurama)
"Her face lights up as she recalls.
The moment of her liberation.
When the hated occupiers were forced from her village.
Novovoznesenske, in the southern region of Kherson.
She farmed there in peace and quiet.
Until ‘orcs’ arrived on 29 March.
What they did not destroy, they stole, she says.
Including forks and spoons, and the shoes
from a pensioner's feet..."(Kurama)
"Do you know what I asked?
Do you know what I believed?
Do you know what I counted?
Because a prisoner in Olenivka.
Do you know what I did?
Do you know what I earned?
Because a prisoner in Olenivka..."(Kurama)
"The morning sunshine is sparkling
and pouring into his house.
A direct shell hit the roof
and scattered rubbles all over.
But could not succeed
to stop a 300-year-old poet.
Going for a moonlight
stroll in Skovorodynivka"(Kurama)
"Welcome home, dear sunshine.
A gracious smile. Yes, I’m alive.
Welcome home, dear sunshine.
Deep in the sky. Yes, I’m alive.
Welcome home, dear sunshine.
Long absence. Yes, I’m alive...."(Kurama)
"For the passion to the skies.
The Sviatohirsk Lavra ablaze.
A wooden monastery.
All Saints Monastery.
Prayers engulfed.
Upon Holy Hill..."(Kurama)
“As human beings.
Let her go.
She's a good person.
She's like a little shining sun.”
While serving in Mariupol.
A military medic was taken prisoner at the start of April.
Who is eight months pregnant.
She got married in September 2021..."(Kurama)
"Dear God, calamity again! ...
It was so peaceful, so serene.
He resolved to stand on the frontline.
Though he lived for the stage.
We but began to break the chains.
That bind our folk in slavery...
He exchanged his costume.
For a grenade launcher..."(Kurama)
"Where am I coming?
It’s a wrong road.
Shot and burnt.
Familiar cars need familiar faces.
Where am I coming?
It’s a wrong road.
Twisted and crumbled away.
Familiar fences need familiar faces..."(Kurama)
"He “had no idea”.
That after achieving independence.
His country would one day be at war.
With his country’s closest neighbour.
He was “sure we'd be friends with our neighbours”.
“Trust me, I had no idea.
That our closest neighbour would turn out.
To be the most impudent and cunning one.”..."(Kurama)
““None of us will allow.
Our Ukraine to end.”
‘Gandalf the Green’ said.
In an address in the capital Kyiv.
He was joined by Western leaders.
In a show of solidarity.
‘Gandalf the Green’ said.
In his speech on Saturday that...”(Kurama)
“A volunteer who evacuates civilians.
Showed you a message.
From a resident.
A few days ago.
“The basement where people were.
Staying on Soborna Street.
Has been hit,” it says.
“A lot of people have died.”...”(Kurama)
“‘Orcs’ captured the land.
‘Orcs’ captured, but he’ll be back to.
‘Orcs’ captured the land.
He has been searching for.
His brother for nearly two years.
His brother is one of thousands.
Of ‘elves’ civilians...”(Kurama)
“He has the sort of chuckle.
That's hard to resist.
Deep and treacly and mischievous.
“I'm still alive.”
He said, tilting his head.
To one side in his wheelchair.
Like a spectator marvelling at.
Someone else's magic trick...”(Kurama)
“Her only thought.
When her husband was wounded.
Was to get to.
His bedside.
“I just wanted.
To be with him.
To touch him.
To say that he's not alone.”...”(Kurama)
"On Monday ‘Gandalf the Green’ raised the ‘elves’ flag.
In the recently-liberated city of Izyum.
The closer you get to Izyum.
The more evidence there is of ‘orcs’ rapid retreat.
‘Elves’ soldiers are grouped.
By the roadside near the city.
Inspecting the spoils of war.
With broad smiles..."(Kurama)
““The most important thing is.
For our children to learn.”
A generation forever moulded.
By this attack on their country.
“I'm more scared of the fact.
I'll have a new teacher.
Than of the war.”
He says with a smile...”(Kurama)
"It is still dark.
When an early train pulls.
Into the station.
In central Ukraine.
And aid workers crowd expectantly.
Around one of the carriages.
The doors then open.
And a small child steps into the platform light..."(Kurama)
"The exhumation was conducted mostly in silence.
As police and prosecutors looked on.
One officer put his head in his hands.
Another walked away.
Emergency workers wore blue plastic coverings.
In a pine forest at the edge of Izyum.
The stench of death filled the air.
As a mass exhumation got under way..."(Kurama)
