As 47 years ago, and 87, and 112, as countless times in the past, today the world awoke to the alarming anticipation that war had come to its doorstep. The world woke up and cried.
Times are changing, bridges, roads, underground canals are being built, people are making their way under the water, under the ground and in the air, but they are still ready to kill each other on someone’s orders.
We poets know that the main weapon is the word. It kills no worse than bullets, but it also brings back to life. The word is the strongest medicine, and today, wounded right in the heart by the declared war, we apply it to the most painful points hoping that the ties between old friends and loved ones will not be broken, that the wounds that have already been inflicted and the future wounds will not fester and will heal.
There are moments when there are not enough words to say even the simplest, but so important things. Belarusians are familiar with this situation. And when we could not speak, our Ukrainian friends spoke for us, about us and with our words. Now is our time to speak. A time of solidarity and unity.
Our solidarity and support is for the freedom-loving Ukrainian people. One day the darkness over your — and our — home will be dispelled. One day we will wake up and breathe free. One day the word “weapon” will no longer be needed. One day all other words will teach us to love.
Glory to Ukraine!
Black sea of sunflowers
How to speak about all of this now?
Between love and hate we are going straight
God protects us
To speak on behalf of those who remained alive
My home is born from my heart
Be born, oh Lord, be born
While they are waging war
To call everyone by his name
A prayer of love and hate
For you, who lost home, but didn’t lose a heart
