vasylkiv (is fighting on)

my secretary
is just nineteen
but
she almost lives here
now

twenty-four
seven

she
is an angry girl

not afraid
of these
invaders

maybe
that will come
but
right now . . .

she
is fearless

I am the mayor
of vasylkiv
we are
a little way
from kyiv

we have
an airfield
that attracts the war

like flies
they buzz

but
the accountant –
from my city office –
is
a mild man

he is commanding
now
our territorial defences

do you know
they have struck
our schools

left holes in that space
behind them

and we –
a few of us –
are sheltering
in a cellar

we are religious –
you know –
we believe
in god

and we video-called
our priest

we all prayed
together

we all
said our words
to god

as the walls
shook
I thought
that I . . .

though
that I
might die

right in
that moment

but –
so far –
we are fighting
on

tell the world that
vasylkiv
is wearing flak jackets
now
and it is fighting
on

~

“People used to think about new car or iPhone, but nobody was thinking about peace. Now, we are dreaming of it. When old people used to wish each other peace, we didn’t understand what they meant. Now we do.”