Guernica, Stalingrad, Grozny, Aleppo, Mariupol...

Cherry

By Di_Hard

Tue, 22 Mar 2022
  • 1444 reads
12 comments
 

 

Reporters list atrocities

suggesting which might qualify

as war crimes, while Western leaders'

words slide over blood, too afraid

of falling in to draw red lines.

 

Ignorance makes mirrors windows -

no children, starving, wounded, lost

will soften iron curtain eyes 

and mistakes are buried like mines

to walk on blindly into War

 

where a nation is kicked to death

Bliss belongs to the unhuman

 

 

“Mariupol will be on the list of cities in the world that have been completely destroyed by war, such as Guernica, Stalingrad, Grozny, Aleppo…” Manolis Androulakis, returning Greek Consul

Certificate 12
Poem
Rant

Comments

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Another powerful piece. Will come back to this one. Thank you di

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou, is just frustratiion really. What someone who has been through the bombing will write, that will scour all our souls

 

Submitted by onemorething on

A poem that reflects anger and frustration for many of us, Di. A powerful piece. 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou Rachel. Am trying to think of Spring things, but I can't

 

Submitted by David Kirtley on

I like your poem Di Hard. It perfectly captures the contrast between the victims in Mariupol, on the front line, while reporters and politicians debate the legal definitions of war crimes, while being unable or unwilling to risk themselves for the sake of freedom! This is often the case in war, but this war seems particularly phoney because it is fought by proxy Ukraine on behalf of Europe and the whole free world, with their hands restricted by NATO's rules of engagement.

I am reminded of the Spanish Civil War where the western European democracies refused to be involved to protect Spanish Democracy from military coup and Axis powers of Italy and Germany. They would not even send arms, although many volunteers did go to fight from Europe and America to stop fascism, all to no avail in the end, as Franco massacred his opponents and refugees fled!

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou for your very interesting comment, David. The Spanish Civil War sounds horrific. I looked up Guernica because only knew the name from the painting, and the article went on to explain how it's thought a Commander of the German  airforce might have been experimenting with carpet bombing as their planes could not be precise enough to hit specific targets, so had to destroy everything; or, it could be one of the first examples of terror bombing, to break resistance. Either way, it sounds like what Putin seems content to see his forces inflict on the People he calls brothers. I think, Guernica is famous because it's the first reported place where civilians might have been targetted from the air, but  the deaths there were a tiny fraction of those lost already in Ukraine. 

Thankyou again for giving me your insight,  it is much appreciated :0)

 

Submitted by marandina on

The whole thing is the worst of nightmares. Surely sense will prevail soon. I hope. A powerful poem. Paul

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou for reading, Paul,  and your comment, which is just how I feel. So it was great to read your wonderful new installment today :0) I didn't comment though, as remembering I'd not clicked Like, which deleted it all when I did. Will have another go...

 

Submitted by Turlough on

Doing nothing makes it easier for the aggressor. Sending weapons will prolong the war and cause more death. And what we are watching is not the only war, it's just the most newsworthy one for the time being.

How can the world ever get out of this mess?

Your strong words are very thought provoking Di, Good on you.

Turlough

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Thankyou for going back to read this. You said it in a sentence what has taken me ages to understand. If Ukraine is not given the help it needs and is asking for, to win,  what is the point of the lesser help it has been given, other than to massage the givers' conciences? At what cost to the people of Ukraine? And at the same time millions of others who need other kinds of help which will be unavailable to them because we can only think about one problem at a time. I think you understood all this at the beginning

 

Submitted by Turlough on

It's terrible that you and I can see what's happening and what needs to happen but world leaders can't.

Turlough

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Perhaps they are all much too clever and rich to think common sense could be any good