Yellow Daffodils, #TankaTuesday

Posted on by Colleen M. Chesebro

For this week’s #TankaTuesday challenge, Yvette M. Calleiro, selected the theme of beginnings and endings. I tried to allude to beginnings and endings without using the words. It proved to be difficult for me today… Here’s a bit of tanka prose to reflect on.

unrecognizable trendy woman with blooming daffodils contemplating river from shore
Photo by Monica Turlui on Pexels.com
yellow daffodils
bloom amidst the destruction
war machines roll on
as spring moves into summer 
we must pray for peace

Mariupol is a Ukrainian port city on the Sea of Azov in the south of the Donetsk region. I heard today that if Russia were to capture the city, Mariupol would be Moscow’s first strategic victory in the war. This city would also give Russia a land corridor connecting territories under its control. That Russia could win anything tears at my soul.

They say all that’s left of the city is a freezing hell-scape littered with bodies. Is this the dawn of a new era or the bitter conclusion of civilization?

© Colleen M. Chesebro

41 thoughts on “Yellow Daffodils, #TankaTuesday”

  2. Mariupul is starting to remind me of Hiroshoma. I’ve been having the awful feeling the last couple of weeks that the only way this war is going to end is when the entire country has been blown off the map with nothing left but a smoldering crater. It’s an awful vision.

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  3. Sometimes it seems like words are all we have. (K)

    I still can’t comment on your site–only in my reader. But I can’t read the whole post in the reader, I only get the first part, and then have to go to the site. It’s not just you though–I think it’s the new format, because it’s become true of a few blogs. At least I can still comment–for some sites my comments don’t show up at all! Such is WordPress…

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      1. Oh yes, it’s definitely WP. Perhaps they will work out the bugs–I hope so. I use both Firefox and Chrome, depending if I’m on the tablet or the desktop. It doesn’t seem to matter.

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  4. Your poem of peace is perfect. This has been an awful year, and there seems to be no good end in sight. Prayer is the solution.

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  5. Your tanka prose is gloomy but heartfelt. I’m hoping it’s the end of a dictator’s reign. Your contrast between the yellow daffodils and the war machines is powerful, Colleen. 🙂

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  7. It is a nightmare that I want to wake up from. The horrible destruction in Ukraine–and the actual atrocities being committed there–and not as visceral, but also the slow destruction of our democracy here.

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        1. I’ve been following many local news organizations. Many comments are negative toward the GOP from their own constituents. There are still the usual comments from the trumpets who must be brainwashed. They cannot think and reason for themselves. Yes, we need the votes. It’s our only avenue of defense.

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  8. We must help those who need assistance.
    And pray for those who have strength to elimnate all threats.
    Certainly not an easy task for any warring.

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  11. Beautifully said, Colleen. It is frustrating watching helplessly at the senseless killing and the lack of meaningful repression.

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  13. Pingback: Word Craft Poetry#TankaTuesday #Poetry Stars No. 271 | #ThemePrompt

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