As if Climate Change was not enough
Aleksey Semenenko, a famous young Ukrainian violinist, is locked in Kyiv. He went back to give a concert just before the Russian attack on that country. Now he is in hiding somewhere with his precious Stradivarius instrument. Mr Volodymr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine needs men between the ages of 18 and 60 to defend their territory.
I was born on Armistice Day in 1945, in the year World War 2 ended, and on a day which celebrates the end of World War 1. It was expected that there would never be a war like it again. But since 1945, according to my very inexpert research, there have been over 400 serious conflicts across the world. So, are we on the brink again? It looks like we are the most dangerous species on the planet.
My fright and despair is palpable and my paralysis about what I can do shameful. I found something in my writing about my own dangerous cancer years ago, which I have adapted to try and put words on my feelings. Read, pass on, comment, and give feedback.
Mar. 12, 2022
a bug
without noticing
a bug leaped into my life
it caught me off guard
my panicked body
paralyses resistance
now i lie and hope
i was so looking
forward to so much
disaster dictates otherwise
now I cling to the wire
on the spine of my notebook
as my survival raft
Comments
Triona Mc Morrow
16.03.2022 15:59
A powerful poem, Peter. The unease and uncertainty of our world is awful.
I hope you are well.
Tony Campion
16.03.2022 12:16
Peter, as always your writings are timely and thought provoking, the lunacy Putin has unleashed has to stop, but you wonder who or what will stop it.
Debra Davies
13.03.2022 11:30
Troubled times indeed, and reading your poem also brings me back to your illness which you recovered so well from. May we all recover well from this dreadful situation. Well written, Peter
Margaret Dromey
12.03.2022 23:56
Peter, A dreadful situation and I feel so powerless. I also well remember the sadness at your diagnosis years ago - look how well you have done! Let’s hope Putin will see seance.
Tom Dredge
12.03.2022 22:53
Very good poem Peter. Uncanny how apt it is to Aleksey's situation.
Kitty
12.03.2022 22:02
So glad you're writing Peter. I love reading your poems & blog. I can write nothing right now. Remember our MA classes pre-Covid, pre (this) war? I'm still grateful for them.
Clíodhna
12.03.2022 20:53
All our survival rafts have different shapes and sizes.
Dereck Sergison
12.03.2022 20:16
Hi Peter,
I envy your writing & share your despair! While I am only a “young fella”(born in 1955) I must admit to feeling lost! How could we arrive at a point similar to the 1962 Cuban crisis!
Latest comments
25.11 | 22:15
Grief is experience through the mundane. Simple but powerful. The accompanying image really compliments the poem.
07.11 | 11:14
Hi Peter,
A great observation! Social media can be a scary place... I also need to reduce my time there
Hugs,
John.x
06.11 | 16:24
A great one, Peter, in the context you describe. I don't read social media myself, I doubt my equilibrium could stand it. 'The balance of his mind disturbed' yes, I think it would be.
06.11 | 15:59
Yes, gossip is a weapon of mass destruction.
In my business as well as personal life I have zero tolerance.
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