Age of Empires

Cherry

By marandina

Tue, 21 Feb 2023
  • 1307 reads
14 comments
 

Audio version at: https://soundcloud.com/user-62051685/age-of-empires-mp3

 

This week marks the anniversary of Putin’s “special military operation”. Russian forces invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022.

 

Age of Empires

It was once said by some

that the last of the bombs

had fallen before peace

finally sprang from wars.

Years passed as the guilty

lived and died at Spandau,

a grey wall became rubble,

an empire fell in the East.

From the chaos of decay

arose an Emperor of Slavs

riding bare-chested on                                                                 

the back of a Russian bear.

Tanks and troops in convoy,

fields of dreams destroyed,

towns, villages funereal ash,

bordering lands trammelled.

Sands of time will cover

crimes reeking of cordite,

the tyranny of conquest

forged in innocent blood.

 

Footnote:

Vladimir Putin's State of the Nation address today reconfirmed his resolve to be victorious in the conflict with Ukraine. Joe Biden's meeting with President Zelensky this week in Kyiv may have antagonised the situation further as Russia has  now withdrawn from a key nuclear treaty with the US.

https://news.sky.com/story/vladimir-putin-blames-west-for-starting-war-i...

 

Image free to use at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_house_of_cards,_Puck_cover.jpg

Certificate PG
Poem
Messages from Moscow
Unclassified

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I wonder how many of the Russian people really believe that the West wants to attack them, and that the war is defensive. So sad and futile. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading it, Rhiannon. I read recently that support for the war in Russia is, on the whole, from the majority. Putin has spun it into a defence of the Motherland which has been his tactic for decades to shore up public opinion. He likes to paint himself as a defender of the people from the decadent West who are continually plotting to invade. The four regions of Ukraine have been "saved" by making them part of the Federation so fellow speakers of the Russian language can be together.

 

If China do support Putin soon through providing weapons then the Russo-Ukraine is, effectively, World War 3 by proxy. It's quite sobering to imagine where all of this will end. 

 

Submitted by celticman on

Not sure Putin thinks himself a slav. Enjoyed reading this. But it is a worry. For very selfish reasons. Putin made the most colossal error. He cannot admit defeat. 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading, CM. Most Russians consider themselves Slavs. When my lad was trying to find a place to rent in Moscow, he came across widespread racism. Many of the flats to let were "Slavs only" i. e. white tenants only and, preferably Russian.

 

Putin introduced a law a few years ago where non-Russians were required to register with the local police. My lad had to do this with the inference being that you were a security risk to the State.

 

Yes, Putin only knows one way: escalation. The man is a sociopath and very dangerous. Let's hope China remains "neutral" and common sense prevails. 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for the cherries, ABC Eds. Genuinely appreciated. Paul 

 

Submitted by Mark Burrow on

Nicely done, P and timely. It's a horrendous mess. I read today that over 800 Russian soldiers are dying a day in Ukraine. Horrific. 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading, Mark. Yes, the partial mobilisation of 300,000 reservists last year was probably just the start the way things are going. The Russian army is notorious for not being concerned about numbers of casualties. It looks like Putin will continue to dodge a full mobilisation as that amounts to a declaration of war. However, there was a piece in the Sunday Times at the weekend that suggested that nearly all Russians are now affected by the war in some way and can no longer be insulated from it.

 

Crazy to think that trench warfare is being conducted in the 21st century. Casualties, deaths and human suffering just unimaginable over there. Truly appalling. 

 

Submitted by Mark Burrow on

It really is and the chances of it spilling over into another country are scarily high. 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I don't really understand why the West has not/is not sending what Ukraine needs to stop the war. Surely keeping it going so long is costing more, in money, and thousands of lives. If China balances this by equipping Russia, more resources desperately needed for the just transition to renewables are diverted, in their country, while we all spiral into climate change. All the loss and destruction caused by earthquakes in Turkey is tragic, and it seems obscene to continue this war in order to maintain or to shift a balance of power with so much suffering happening nearby. No one denies how brave Ukrainians are, but Russians who protest are perhaps even braver as they are called traitor and abused by their own people, when they could just stay quiet. Your poem has an epic feel, like Game of Thrones or something, till the last line, the important truth

 

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading, Di. The cost of any war is obscene when you think of the alternatives for spending the money. The overriding concern with Ukraine is continued Russian expansion i.e. Where will Putin stop after Ukraine? The Baltic States and Moldova already feel threatened. European countries like Germany are looking over their shoulder. 

This is also about ideology. Putin has been reported as critising the Church of England for making God into "they" rather than "him" and it appears that children are being bussed into Russia to be "re-educated". He constantly vilifies the evil West for decadence and corruption. Ironic, I know.

Ukraine is the epicentre for a shadow 3rd world war. There are no easy answers whilst Putin is in power. I read an extract from a book about his childhood and he would often get into fights with bigger boys. He never stepped away and, apparently, always fought like a mad dog and as though his life depended on it. He won most of the time regardless of how much older and bigger his opponent was. I am sure that this is the mentality that fires him to this day. 

Notwithstanding all of that, I am with you re spending on arms etc. The world would be a better place if money was prioritised in the right way. Maybe one day.. 

 

 

Submitted by David Kirtley on

i like the grand feel of the poem, a very appropriate portrayal of Putin's current regime as a continuation of the old(?) idea of Empires, now returned with a vengeance, and a tragic waste of life to Europe. It seems very evil still to me that Putin could start this from something which could have so easily stayed so much smaller. He has come out of old fashioned history, to make a war of brutal nationalism and Empire at a time when we should all be progressing and democracy should have held sway.

I still feel he cannot be allowed to win, because he represents so many things which need reform, and are backwardness. If only the Russian people could be better reached by free thought and debates.

Submitted by marandina on

Thanks for reading, David. Interesting images from Putin's speech at a football stadium yesterday. Massive crowd but pictures of many leaving before it was his turn on stage. Public opinion carefully managed in places like Russia. I guess we'll see what the next twelve months brings. 

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Paul

 

What a brilliant powerful poem. You sum it all up in just a few very poignant words and phrases.

 

Jean Day

Submitted by marandina on

Oh thanks for reading and the kind feedback, Jean. Lovely to see you around again. Paul x