by Mel Cápec
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BBC Photo January 26, 2022 |
In a tweet today, poet Ilya Kaminsky reminds us: “People say Ukraine is on the brink of war with Russia. That is not entirely accurate: Ukraine is *already* at war with Russia. Parts of Ukraine are occupied by Russia since 2014. A piece I did at that time might give some context & introduce new poems.”
“Will Russia invade?”
“They better not.”
I now live abroad, far away from the front.
They talk about my country,
I try to act calm
I feel like they always forget where I’m from.
My classmates are angry,
they say they’re afraid…
I don’t think they get it, it can’t be explained.
I’m scared for my friends
who live in Ukraine –
we’re over 18 now, hope they won’t see war terrain.
Tensions are rising,
US sends lethal aid.
It’s gonna be bad, my heart is dismayed.
Mel Cápec is an 18-year-old emerging queer writer. She moved to the Czech Republic from Ukraine. She is now a high school student and would like to pursue a degree in journalism.