Eve Conant interviews her mother, who was born in 1934. Her National Geographic article, “Caught between Hitler’s troops and Stalin’s: How one family escaped,” captures vivid memories of her mother living in Kiev when Germans invaded the Ukraine in 1941. This poem attempts to capture the darkness of war, then ending with the light of freedom. This May marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.
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Memories of war, never fading
Dreadful darkness, haunting many lives
Living as refugees, now homeless
Caught between nations, bloody war thrives
Millions facing harsh deportation
Never to return to their homelands
Surviving in freezing factories
Providing labor in foreign lands
Escaping from a train, fate calling
Always moving, life stays on the run
Sleeping outdoors, sometimes in cold barns
Blistered, painful feet for everyone
Witnessing death, in deserted fields
Scars of war, visions never ending
Eyes and ears skyward, fearing warplanes
On the run, danger not pretending
Surviving life’s dark, brutal escape
Recalling this journey’s final trek
Arriving on American soil
Drawing freedom’s card, from life’s new deck
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Big Sky Buckeye 
Very good.
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Thanks Bonnie. I have always enjoyed reading about history, and this story about a young girl’s escape during World War II was too amazing not to write about.
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Amen.
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I enjoy reading your words. Thank you for this.
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Diana, I appreciate you reading and sharing. I continue to discover worthy themes to write about. I have been enjoying your bird series as well.
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May the good Lord continue to bless your writing and thank you.
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A very compelling poem!
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Susan, I appreciate your words. Yes, this was definitely a different type of poem.
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I am amazed at the range of topics that you write about
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Thank you for your kind words. God has blessed me with a range of themes to write about. I think it helps me overall writing to craft different types of poems as well as short stories. My long-term dream is to produce an anthology of my writing someday.
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I would be interested in reading it when you’re finished. I am also an excellent proofreader.
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Much appreciated! Perhaps later in the year, I will begin the process.
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Wonderful poetry. Beautiful hope expressed in the line “Drawing freedom’s card, from life’s new deck” Well penned. We should never forget these stories. Thank you for sharing.
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Suzette, I always appreciate how you find a special nugget in my poetry. This verse was one of my favorite ones as well.
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very deep, strong in its simplicity, I’m going to reblog it with a sticky. tank you sweetie
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Pat, I always appreciate your kind words. This poem wasn’t on my radar screen until I read the article on National Geographic.
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I’m glad you wrote it thank you for your kindness
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wonderful job capturing the consequences of war and the promise of America…
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Thank you Jim. I have to give a shout-out to National Geographic. Following an online news link took me to the article.
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NatGeo is a national treasure!
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You captured it well. The darkness of war it’s an appropriate title.
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Crissy, I appreciate your remarks. The National Geographic article provided an avenue to bring these images into a poem.
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You are very creative.
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