I’ve come to love the people of Ukraine.

They value knowledge.
They value children.
They value home.

They put things back together.
They start again.
They get things done.

They endure the unendurable,
They never give up.
They are strong.

When they are scared,
They do it anyway.
They are brave.

They don’t start fights; they finish them.

I wish they didn’t need to be so brave.

How The “Ukrainians” Poem Came To Be Written

I don’t write poetry often, but I felt a poem coming on after looking at a gallery of first day of school photos on the President’s website. Of course, I wrote it down immediately, before I could forget the words. [See link below to the post about the first day of school.]

Those little kids were enjoying a very special day, one of the most momentous events so far in their short lives. And no mere war, brought to Ukraine by a crazy russian despot, was going to spoil it!

Then I realized that all the Ukrainians, not just these children, have that unbreakable determination to live fully, enjoying special moments, as they go through an experience so terrifying that most people would be in shock.

They amaze me, these Ukrainians, and my admiration took the form of this poem. I wrote it down just as it came to me, without changing one word.

Links

To download a PDF of the poem “Ukrainians”, click here. Printable copy of the text of the poem; no photos.

Post about the first day of school in wartime. Photos of young students starting school in a new school building in Irpin, replacing the previous school that was bombed to destruction. Schools now have shelters built in, except for the schools in Kharkiv that were built in metro stations.

Photo Credits

The poem is illustrated with sets of three or four thumbnail-sized photos after each line. I’ve listed the attributions for these in the order that they appear, with extra space between sets.

IMG_2954.PNG from Zelenskiy /Official channel on Telegram. (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) 8 November 2022 Woman cooking on makeshift stove outside ruined apartment building. Credit in description names Wolfgang Schwan for Anadoluimages. From President of Ukraine Official Website www.president.gov.ua/en.

Vyshyvankas roundelay.JPG by Vladimir Yaitskiy (CC BY-SA 2.0 Generic) 25 May 2013 A Ukrainian vyshyvanka parade. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Member_of_the_State_Emergency_Service_of_Ukraine_carrying_an_unexploded_Russian_bomb_in_an_agricultural_field_in_southeastern_Ukraine.jpg by State Emergency Service of Ukraine dsns.gov.ua (CC BY 4.0 Int.) 1 July 2022 Member of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine carrying an unexploded Russian bomb in an agricultural field in southeastern Ukraine. The Service reports disposal of 150,965 explosive objects, including 1997 air-dropped bombs, and 602 kg of explosive substances from the beginning of Russian invasion. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Through_the_reading_glasses_(Unsplash).jpg by Dmitry Ratushny (CC 0 1.0) 21 February 2016 An open book in Ukrainian seen through a pair of glasses. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Ukrainian_refugees_heading_home_3.jpg by Pakkin Leung (CC BY 4.0 Int.) 22 April 2022 A brother and sister are waiting for the bus that takes them to the Poland-Ukraine border while their mother is checking the bus schedule. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Home_in_Ostrivia.jpg by Roman Andrusiak (CC BY 4.0) September 8, 2021 Parent’s house (in Ostrivia, Ukraine). Via Wikimedia Commons.

eb056ee351b3a38ede5d76240c951e17_1663160410_extra_large.jpeg by PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY Official website (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Int.) 14 September 2022 Working trip of the President of Ukraine to the Kharkiv region. From President of Ukraine Official Website www.president.gov.ua/en.

IMG_2955.PNG from Zelenskiy /Official channel on Telegram. (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) 7 November 2022 Residents passing bricks hand to hand as they repair their building. Credit in description names Oleg Petrasiuk as photographer. From President of Ukraine Official Website www.president.gov.ua/en.

9340aff70be31e141f9b664ff128742d_1663160408_extra_large.jpeg by PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY Official website (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Int.) 14 September 2022 Working trip of the President of Ukraine to the Kharkiv region. From President of Ukraine Official Website www.president.gov.ua/en.

Bucha_after_Russian_invasion_(2022-04-06)_13.jpg by ArmyInform/Vitaly Sarantsev, Roman Drapak armyinform.com.ua. (CC BY 4.0 Int.) 6 April 2022 Bucha city of Kyiv Oblast (Ukraine) after the battle and occupation during the 2022 Russian invasion. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Сдача в плен украинских военных с завода Азовсталь001.png (Surrender of Ukrainian military personnel from the Azovstal plant 001.png) by (unknown author, Mil.ru) (CC BY 4.0 Int.) 18 May 2022 The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation: “Personnel of the surrender of militants of the nationalist unit “Azov” and Ukrainian military personnel blocked at the plant “Azovstal” in Mariupol.” Via Wikimedia Commons.

Families_live_in_bomb_shelter_in_Donetsk_Petrovski_district_35_(20894469736).jpg by UNICEF Ukraine (CC BY 2.0 Generic) 15 May 2015 Man reading in shelter. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Ukrainian_children_are_fleeing_Russian_aggression._Przemy?l,_Poland_27_02_2022_(51913335928).jpg by Mirek Pruchnicki (CC BY 2.0 Generic) 27 February 2022 Ukrainian soldier reaching to hold hand of wife on the train. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Civilian evacuation across Irpin River 2022-03-08 3.jpg by Yan Boechat/VOA 8 March 2022 A man carries an elderly woman through an improvised path created under a bombed bridge over the Irpin River, in Ukraine, March 8, 2022. Via Wikimedia Commons.

UA_soldiers_HM-19_01.jpg by 72nd “Black Zaporozhians” Mechanized Brigade www.mil.gov.ua. (CC BY 4.0 Int.) 2 September 2022 72nd “Black Zaporozhians” Mechanized Brigade soldiers firing Iranian-made HM-19 (presumably) mortars seized from the Houthis by the United States. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Ukrainian_soldiers_conduct_urban_operations_(1).jpg by Staff Sgt. David Carnahan 21 September 2021 Ukrainian soldiers fast rope from a MI-8 helicopter, during Rapid Trident 2021. Soldiers from 15 nations participate in the exercise. Americans observe as Ukrainian, Polish, and Lithuanian soldiers conduct urban operations against Ukrainian OPFOR. Via Wikimedia Commons

File:Робоча поїздка Президента України на Харківщину45.jpg by PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY Official website President.gov.ua (CC BY 4.0 Int.) 14 September 2022 Working trip of the President of Ukraine to Kharkiv Oblast. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Ukrainian_Army_soldiers_raise_the_national_flag_in_Pripyat_on_April_3,_2022.jpg by Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ukraine mvs.gov.ua (CC BY 4.0 Int.) 3 April 2022 Ukrainian Army soldiers raise the national flag in Pripyat on April 3, 2022. Via Wikimedia Commons.

UA_128th_brigade_liberating_Kherson_region_01.jpg by Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (CC BY-SA 4.0 Int.) 9 October 2022 128th Zakarpattia Mountain Assault Brigade liberating Kherson region from Russian soldiers. Ukrainian soldier showing the Kherson watermelon monument (“Dary Khersonshchyny”) near Osokorivka village. Via Wikimedia Commons.

UA_TDF_in_liberated_Shevchenkove.jpg by Territorial Defence Forces of Ukraine www.mil.gov.ua. (CC By 4.0 Int.) 10 September 2022 Territorial Defence Forces of Ukraine soldiers near the freshly repainted (from Russian flag colors into Ukrainian ones) entrance mark in Shevchenkove (Kharkiv region) liberated from Russian army. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Rocket_from_multiple_rocket_launcher_in_Luhansk_Oblast_(2022-04-26).jpg by State Emergency Service of Ukraine dsns.gov.ua. (CC BY 4.0 Int.) 6 April 2022 Rocket from a multiple rocket launcher in Luhansk Oblast of Ukraine during the 2022 Russian invasion. Via Wikimedia Commons.