To you who are standing faithful and strong in the ashes:
May the skies clear of fighter jets
to let the warm sun kiss your face;
May the sirens and explosions cease
that you may hear the chirping of the birds near and far;
May the rains take smoke, dust and ash from the air
that you may see the blue sky and bright yellow flowers,
the colors of your flag surrounding you in Ukraine glory;
May the waters, teeming with fish, run clear and pure
to quench your thirst and refresh your body;
May the hatching of feathered friends and birth of furry critters
bring hope of a future with new life;
May the attacks, the violence and the fear come to an end
that you may come out of dark, cold bunkers into fresh air
where elders of wisdom sit on benches, engaged in storytelling
and children run and laugh and play in the sunshine;
May men and women return to their storefronts, to planting their crops,
to cooking the meals and baking the bread, to bottling the wine,
to healing the sick, to educating the students, to writing the books,
painting and sculpting, playing in concerts and singing in chorus;
May the mothers birth their babies, cradle and nourish them
for they are the future of Ukraine;
May you rise from the ashes to Resurrection,
through Christ, with Christ, in Christ! May it be.
+Joan on April 16, 2022