Kyiv: The Shards of Twilight
May you never experience
The brimstone of history
Raining upon you
From a past that hardens
Enveloping like amber
Around that insect
Of human misdeeds
Preserving trauma
For the seventh generation
And serving it afresh
In places and dishes
Both unknown and expected.
May you find a fractal star
Beaming a cleansing light
To clear a path for the tender feet
Of babies and donkeys
And caravans seeking a silky way
Out of planetary conundrums.
May you plummet
Amid the tendrils
Of the blessed vine
And continue your journey
In a raft floating
On the waters
Of miracles and wonders.
Pina Piccolo, 6 March 2022
Cover image: Painting by Ukrainian artist Serhii Vasylkivsky. Bottom image, photo by Pina Piccolo
