“This Is About Values”

“This Is About Values”: A Found Poem for Ukraine
Week of 6 March 2022

This is about values
Values are very important here

People, children are under the wreckage
We will not forgive the shooting of unarmed people

Were pregnant women going
To fire at Rostov?
Did someone in the maternity hospital
Abuse Russian-speakers?

What was that?

Was it the de-Nazification of the hospital?

Zelenskyy, almost in tears

This is about values

Values are very important here

How much longer, ignoring terror

You have power, but you seem to be losing humanity

Losing sovereignty, regaining fear

Back then it was better

The Germans were more humane

They were even giving us some food

This is the first time I have fled war

If Ukraine is on fire, then we are going to be on fire very soon, too

Vast parts of Eastern Europe think we are already at war

Dormant imperialism of Russia comes back again again for past 300 years

This is about values

Values are very important here

Many nations observe that this society

Would like to have democracy

The West is sending some arms

Perhaps

Isn't it too, too little?

This is about values

Values are very important here

Anger and hate is a normal reaction

Important to validate, important to channel

Into something useful: making incendiary bombs

Out of empty bottles

If we believe in values like democracy, the rule of law

And we also believe in self-determination

This is what the Ukrainians are fighting for

Right?

They are fighting for the fact that for 30 years

They have been westernizing this society

And now they would like to have the fruit

This is about values

Values are very important here

Don’t miss this opportunity

This is a struggle not only for peace in Ukraine

It is a struggle for your country

For the best that was in it

For the freedom that you saw

For the prosperity that you felt

If you keep silent now

Then only your poverty will speak for you later

Only repression will answer

Author: Sandy Lee Carlson

Photo: Max Kukurudziak on Unsplash