poem – Page 2 – Breathing Inspiration

Ukraine Blues

The surrounding countryside of Kiev, and other cities, such as Lviv, and even my own ancestral hometown, Bolekhiv, are quiet in the night, while the Russians prepare their next attempts to maneuver their positions, to be in alignment with their next forward march into the fray. By now, they know that they will continue to meet with resistance from the Ukrainian defenders. These are not nationalists, like the propaganda espoused by the Putin regime would have it known; rather, these are loyal citizens of a country that has been trying to gain its complete freedom for decades. True, it was Ukrainian nationalists in the midst of WW2, who were no friends of the Jewish population in Bolechov, Poland in 1939, when the Soviets retreated. However, the current generation of Ukrainians are not responsible for the sins of their ancestors.

After WW2, my ancestral hometown fell in under the new lines of demarcation, designating the city as Bolekhiv in the newly established boundaries of Soviet Ukraine. And, now, 58 years later, and, incidentally, fifty-eight miles south of Lviv, I wonder how far the smoldering torches of war have receded, or perhaps impeded upon the place where the graves of my ancestors rest. Of course, most of them, were actually buried in either one of two mass graves. The first, 7 km outside of Bolechov (now, Bolekhiv) in the Tanaiwa forest. The other, hastily made grave in the actual cemetery. This cemetery is the best preserved Jewish cemetery in Europe. I have always wanted to visit, since I “found” my ancestors through genealogical research. And, now, How am I to do so? Ultimately, if am able to do so in the future, will I be entering an independent Ukraine, or Soviet-controlled Ukraine?

My ancestors souls,

transcend earthly boundaries,

knowing only peace.

dverse prompt

Let Faith Reign

When society is upended,

and people are tormented,

take heart in your faith,

don’t let your soul go to waste;

there will be an opportunity

to fly into the wind.

Let faith reign in your heart,

don’t pretend to play the part,

when the mind is sincere,

and the pathway is clear,

there will be a sunrise on the horizon

lighting up a brand new day.

Let’s dare not be hesitant,

when the chance prevails,

to take that first step into the light,

the door will be wide open,

for your tired soul that appears to be broken,

yet, will find renewal on the journey

to a safe haven.

Heaven Awaits Us

Living in the belly of the beast,

rising up from the vacant grave,

reaching towards the light from the East,

an angel from Heaven appears,

with a mission to save.

Crying out from a land of tears,

dying to ourselves every day,

casting away all of our fears,

gaining ground over the years,

as the enemy retreats the other way.

—– —– —–

Opening up to the possibility,

of hope becoming permanently ingrained,

indelible as ink, on a deed of civility,

or the silver lining of a cloud,

that is translucent with sunbeams.

The sunflowers in the land of the living,

sway in tune with a heavenly chorus of angels,

and a myriad of people singing

the refrain of the song of Moses,

shining like golden bells.

Beyond Oblivion

At the sound of the shofar,

we will respond to the call,

“Prepare the way for the King.”

The masquerade will be over,

when darkness will no longer fall

upon the face of the earth.

At the beginning of dawn,

when the first light will appear

on the new horizon,

we will be given vision and insight,

to see beyond the mirror of self,

into the eyes of the divine.

dverse prompt

Butterflies

Amongst the fields of sunflowers,

dreaming in the winds of change,

butterflies roam, partaking of the nectar.

Sweet dreams interrupted by a shift

in the pleasant breezes,

accompanied by dark clouds.

Nectar runs dry, and petals wilt,

as the resting places

of the fragile two-winged creatures,

disappear from the fields.

How many Ukrainian refugees,

who have taken flight,

from the devastation,

will be blessed with a new beginning,

in faraway places, where safety resides,

miles away from their homes?

—– —– —– —–

My ancestors, with prescient insight,

migrated across the Atlantic Ocean,

before the flames of the Shoah

engulfed Bolechov, and took the lives

of those who remained in the shtetl.

Ghosts of the past cry out,

Release me, into the wind,

so that our memories

will not be forgotten.

Past Memories, Current Events

My heart is overflowing,

teeming with complex emotions,

and my pen, figuratively speaking,

is writing (typing out) words again,

in response to the internal reservoir,

of all that remains to be said.

My muse? Ineffable, for He Knows all,

and is above and beyond all muses.

So, redeemed, is each word that I reckon,

as not my own, rather, from deep within,

a pool of reflection, tinged with a conscience,

and a consciousness, stemming

from the part of mankind’s soul,

that is connected to the Divine.

Additionally, I do not even know

how I can factor into the equation,

that Bolekhiv, my ancestral hometown,

is fifty-eight miles south of Lviv,

where several dozen of my relatives

were buried in mass graves,

during the Shoah.

Faithful Pledge

In peace, I rest my soul at twilight,

my heart satiated with your word.

Israel’s flag of blue and white,

and Ukraine’s blue and yellow unfurled.

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

A profound solidarity, exemplified;

all of the nations contribute support,

hoping all wounds will be remedied,

amongst the people in body, mind, and heart.

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

All who seek to be a blessing to others

must give from the depths of the soul,

so as to transcend our selfishness

for the sake of nurturing all.

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Some have pledged their lives,

others have reignited their faith,

still more have seen the light,

a reason to stand against wrath.

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Even more of us give what we can,

and refrain from ignoring the pain,

of the voiceless and downtrodden,

all of us humans at heart the same.

The Light of Truth

When light is diminished in this world,

we seek the scroll of Esther unfurled,

to bring to light what remains hidden,

drawing close to G-d, even when not bidden.

When darkness seems to prevail,

we find hope in Mordechai’s tale,

of triumph, in the battle of us and them,

the tides were turned in our favor by H’Shem.

The light of truth shone bright,

when Haman’s plan was revealed in full site,

to King Ahasuerus at Esther’s feast,

when all the coincidences came into place.

Today, we celebrate yesterday’s victory,

steadfast in prayer in the morning early,

awaiting the light that appears at dawn,

when the L-RD will right all that is wrong.

Like colors in a mystical kaleidoscope,

blue and yellow blend with hope,

when all of the colors melt into one,

in expectation of the rising sun.

Send Peace

(**Oseh shalom poetic form, created by ben Alexander**)

How great is Your majesty;
Your countenance shines upon mankind,
both the just and unjust.
Send Your peace,
Your peace, amein.

Inner Grief

The eyes make no disguise

or pretense for the lies,

that fall vacant upon the ears,

that hear the explosions that sear.

As we serve to witness

the duress and stresses

of a people silently torn between

their homes and the need to flee.

dVerse prompt