"‘Orcs’ captured the land.
‘Orcs’ captured, but she’s back to.
‘Orcs’ captured the land.
From her native Mariupol almost to ‘Mordor’.
She miraculously returned to Kyiv through ‘Gandalf the Green’.
She smiles and doesn’t let go of her grandpa.
So that no one would kidnap her anymore.
The most precious thing with her is her dad’s mobile phone.
This is the only thing she has left from her dad..."(Kurama)
Kurama (Japan). «Poets in Mykolaiv» — a poem about the russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022
"Pummelling surrounding villages.
Forcing thousands to flee.
‘Orcs’ are on the outskirts.
To the east and south.
She has decided.
For her youngest children.
It’s time to leave Mykolaiv.
To hug and goodbye..."(Kurama)
"For the freedom.
For the freedom of the entire civilised world.
The light and the darkness.
The light and the darkness between ‘Mordor’ and the entire world.
Three months a soldier.
Three months a soldier had put university on hold.
Engaged he believes.
Engaged he believes in the mission of his life..."(Kurama)
"“I am ready to continue my fight.”
In a hospital bed in his home city, Poltava.
His pelvis is supported by metal scaffolding.
His recovery should take around eight months.
Despite the concerned look on his mother's face.
He has no doubt what he wants to do next.
“It could be both at the frontline or somewhere else.”
“I’ll help the army to bring victory over ‘orcs’ closer.”
A smiling 25-year-old soldier.
Suffered many injuries while trying to defend Mariupol..."
(Kurama)
"To flee the heavily-bombed city.
My "craziest journey" by bicycle unharmed.
From Severodonetsk to Bakhmut.
At least two air strikes near me.
There were holes on the road.
Everything there was smashed up.
It's a frontline road, after all.
Thank God, there were no corpses..."(Kurama)
"Sleep, my sweet heart.
Sleep at home.
You are my sweet heart.
I am your sweet home.
Sleep, my sweet heart.
Sleep at home.
You are living on the breast.
Today is another day..."(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)
"Pinning shadows against walls.
Raise me up. Raise me up.
Feeling the breathing of fire blazes.
Raise me up. Raise me up.
Creeping frozen darkness up on me.
Warm me up. Warm me up.
Leading flames on my own.
Warm me up. Warm me up."(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)
Kurama (Japan). «A poet with caissa» — a poem about war in Ukraine 2022 (video, author's singing)
"Where is the board?
Caissa is with me.
Art, only art.
Her ruthless breast can move.
Endless bombardment.
Without water and food.
Trapped or luring?
Playing chess..."(Kurama)
Kurama (Japan). «A poet from Kramatorsk» — a poem about the russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022
"How many legs?
How many griefs?
I’ve thought over.
If I didn’t go.
How many angers?
How many tears?
I think over.
If I didn't go..."(Kurama)
"“I like to see students.
So please turn on the cameras.
Please do not sleep.
Mine is also almost always on.”
“They understand where I am.
So, they have to get out of bed.”
Says a professor in a trench.
Where he dug deep with his hands."(Kurama)
Kurama (Japan). «Poets waiting for a hostage in ‘mordor’» — a poem about war in Ukraine 2022
"‘Orcs’ torture the land.
‘Orcs’ torture, but he’ll be back to.
‘Orcs’ torture the land."(Kurama)
"Was it only blind bad luck?
Vanished. What does that mean?
Was it only blind bad luck?
Disappeared. What was that cause?
A father went out on an errand,
and didn't return.
In the village of Hurivshchyna.
She is waiting for her father..."(Kurama)
"All that time we were praying."
Numerous ‘orcs’ checkpoints.
Passing through the horror.
"We thought those were our last minutes.
It was extremely scary.
But we were lucky."(Kurama)
"‘Orcs’ tortured the land.
‘Orcs’ tortured, but he’s back to.
‘Orcs’ tortured the land..."(Kurama)
Kurama (Japan). «Poets waiting for the captured in ‘mordor’» — a poem about war in Ukraine 2022
"Three evacuation buses entered, but only one returned.
From the front line town of Popasna, in eastern Ukraine's Donbas.
‘Orcs’ everyday advance a little further.
Food supplies in Popasna are expected to run out within a week.
Playing a key role in helping to evacuate people.
But five volunteer drivers and staff are either missing or captured..."(Kurama)
"On a day.
On a cold day.
On a land.
On a snowy land.
Keep an eye.
Keep an eagle eye.
Call a name.
Call a dear name.
And wait.
And wait.
And wait.
Far away..."(Kurama)
Gabriel Rosenstock presents a bilingual haiku in English and Irish about war in Ukraine 2022.
Gabriel Rosenstock — poet, tankaist, haikuist, novelist, essayist, playwright, author/translator of over 180 books, mostly in Irish (Gaelic). Rosenstock is one of the foremost poets in Ireland in both English and Irish. He also writes haikus and he works as translator and as assistant editor for an Irish-language publishing house. He writes primarily in Irish and is the author or translator into Irish of over one hundred books. He is member of several literary societies and organisations, such as the Innti group and Aosdána.
