Oh my God! Diedre. I’m finally letting my grief for the Ukrainian people flow. Your poem is powerful, important. If we can’t acknowledge the devil, we can’t render it powerless.
Deidre, I read this poem after seeing this face today. Your words described what I saw in that face and I thank you for your art. I needed it more than you will ever know. Art sees our pain, when the callous world looks away.
Oh my word, Deidre. Wow... like Elizabeth C. said below, I'd like to "put this into an envelope and mail it to the world." What a capture of the heart and soul of this man and the country he carries with such strength.
This is brilliant and devastating. Zalensky and the Ukrainian people are living a nightmare that doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon. He keeps fighting for his people, what a leader. Your words made me cry.
Your words are a prophetic call to wake up and call people to action. When you say “I feel things I don’t want to feel” and you spoke about “concave motions of grief” I wept. Especially today as I watched another conversation today with President Zelensky sharing about how his 9 year old son knows all the names of each weapon and he didn’t learn that from him. Your words here are a prayer and a lament. Thank you dear friend !
Matt, thank you for these words. I am learning that there is so much I don’t understand about politics; instead, I’m learning to lean in and pray where I see & feel grief.
I was so touched by this. I want to put it into an envelope and mail it to the world.
Bless you Deirdre for seeing his pain - which is love and despair in equal measures. And for naming our collective blindness to it.
Elizabeth, what kind & beautiful words. Thank you for encouraging me with them.
I "liked" this poem...although that's not the right word. Substack needs an icon for "it broke my heart" like so much does in the world these days.
I hear you.
Oh my God! Diedre. I’m finally letting my grief for the Ukrainian people flow. Your poem is powerful, important. If we can’t acknowledge the devil, we can’t render it powerless.
Mmm. Susan, what an important point. Thank you ❤️
An especially meaningful poem, Dee, considering the shameful reception President Zelensky received at the White House today.
Deidre, I read this poem after seeing this face today. Your words described what I saw in that face and I thank you for your art. I needed it more than you will ever know. Art sees our pain, when the callous world looks away.
Thank you for this 🩷
❤️
Oh my word, Deidre. Wow... like Elizabeth C. said below, I'd like to "put this into an envelope and mail it to the world." What a capture of the heart and soul of this man and the country he carries with such strength.
Thank you Jody. Something that surprised me about him—in his former life, he was a comedian. The juxtaposition is just so striking.
This is brilliant and devastating. Zalensky and the Ukrainian people are living a nightmare that doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon. He keeps fighting for his people, what a leader. Your words made me cry.
Exceptional writing. Many prayers for you friend.
Thank you so much, Regina ❤️
This is beautiful work. And why does every body shop have a tired leather couch? I bet those couches could tell stories.
I’m sure they could. Oddly—I have written two of my favorite poems on tired old leather couches while waiting for my oil to be changed!
Your words are a prophetic call to wake up and call people to action. When you say “I feel things I don’t want to feel” and you spoke about “concave motions of grief” I wept. Especially today as I watched another conversation today with President Zelensky sharing about how his 9 year old son knows all the names of each weapon and he didn’t learn that from him. Your words here are a prayer and a lament. Thank you dear friend !
Matt, thank you for these words. I am learning that there is so much I don’t understand about politics; instead, I’m learning to lean in and pray where I see & feel grief.
This made me cry, thank you 💔
I got chills reading this …
this is hauntingly beautiful. the bitter remains of the grounds, the East of Eden and straight into Hell...so, so vivid. <3
Thank you, Civil. Yes—haunting is the word. That's exactly how I felt looking at Zelensky's face.
Truly love your exploration in the form of a poem.
Thank you, Kassi. Sometimes I find a poem does what an essay cannot.
🥰💯
I love your descriptions in this!
Thank you Kim 🤍