Jennifer Petsko

To My Russian "Friend"

When this year comes to an end,

And this war will be over,

I will meet my dear friend

And his hat will be lower.

I'll put down my armor

I'd dream it never happen,

I'd never thought I'd harm him

But this damn war us blackened.

I'd ask him why he came here

To destroy entire towns,

To kill civilians without a fear

Or what he cared for are just the grounds?

We had a good life here in the past

Now our lives do not exist,

For some kids, the past school year was the last

For some kids, it is just missed.

Some kids will have school far away from home

Some kids will need to learn a new language,

Some schools this year are in Rome

Others just can't be managed.

Some schools, like mine, have been destroyed

Some students can't even go there,

Their school is open, but they can't avoid

To get killed while they walk there.

Some kids are forced to study Russian

Because of lovely “Russian peace,”

Some kids won't have their parents walk them

Because their parents fight or died.

It would be nice to have two legs

To walk to school without help,

Some kid would want to go and beg

To push him on the wheelchair there.

Some parent even won't have a child

To send to a normal school this year,

Those Russian occupants went wild

Would you be able to understand it, dear?

Our lives will never be the same, my "friend"

And yours as well, on many generations to come,

I wish I close my eyes and hear and feel

That person who'd take you home is your mom.