• on Ukraine

    Furious they areSwiss hold onto dirty cashRather than hide it~ n.b. Russia ‘furious’ that even Switzerland has frozen Russian assets, the BBC reports. The rest of us are surprised, to say the least. A shift in attitude of the mountain folk, who have many friends in Russia. Malta, Mexico, Israel, Cyprus. Is the world changing

  • on Ukraine

    What is the problem?He asks The West quite rightly‘You’re our canary’ ~ n.b. Miners used to take a canary into the shafts and galleries to help identify the odourless poison gases underground. Those canaries saved a lot of miners, but a lot of canaries never made it out alive. CLP 21/05/2024

  • On Ukraine

    I thought if you played acoustic guitarthat meant you were a protest singerMorrissey sangHow wrong could one be?Did Blinken learn to playDylan, Lennon or Pete SeegerSongs at university? ~ n.b. The most bizarre dead cat story. At a critical point in the Ukraine War, correspondents devote time to the US Secretary of State strumming an

  • on Ukraine

    There is a game calledDiplomacy in which theBiggest army wins ~ n.b. Piece by piece, village by village, it seems that Ukraine cannot cover all its bases alone. Into the third year of conflict, where will a line be drawn? Where is the wall that stops Russia? CLP 12/05/2024

  • On Ukraine

    We must hurry, childThere’s nothing left here for usMore metal bees come ~ n.b. Villages are being left to Russian invaders, as Ukraine’s request for help is processed. There is evidence that Russia is also running thin on the machinery of war. Why else would they be using North Korean drones against the people of

  • Dissonance

    Ukraine needs much more than moneyHer boys are being buriedBack in Kyiv More men have been mobilisedYounger men to replace older menSend more munitionsAmmunitionBy any meansBut who could re-stock the armsOf mothers missing sons?~n.b. NaPoWriMo 2024 Day 26 prompt: Alliteration, consonance, assonance. CLP 26/04/2024

  • “I want you to show me…”

    It’s not a competitionHow easily it is to ignoreUkraine, where lies Babi YarThe ravine that carries a bloodlineTo Israel and PalestineIt’s not a competition ~ n.b. “I want you to show me another country facing over 110 ballistic missiles and drones.” Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, Israeli military spokesman, speaking after the over-night attack on Israel

  • Wish You Were Here

    It’s April. Birdsong can be heard during air-raids. Bright flowers sprout through debris. Oh that the spring sunshine would revive the cold skin of our sons and daughters. ~ n.b. Conscription age has just been lowered in Ukraine to 25 years and disability waivers are under review. CLP 07/04/2024

  • Postcard From Kyiv

    Just a quick line thanking youfor not forgetting us.We have no choice but to stay.This is our home.Until the day comes when you can visit again!In peace, with love xxx ~ CLP 07/04/2024

  • On Ukraine

    It’s not over yetCitizens of Kharkiv runMachines need not sleep ~ n.b. Six killed by Iranian manufactured drones overnight we are told. Funny, we are not told who makes the drones that kill women, children and aid workers in Gaza. CLP 06/04/2024