Postcards
The Dear Ukraine Postcard Set
I want you to know that through the smoke
and the smog there is a blue sky,
that the scent of gunpowder and fire
will be pushed away by your mother’s Shepherd's pie.
And although your father died at war,
he's watching from above, smiling at you.
And In the rubble of the town square,
there is a flower. Yellow petals blooming brightly.
A spark of hope. And you will heal.
And there will be life.
Leelu Baxter, age 11, Lakewood, Ohio
We can’t imagine the ruined
fields of beautiful sunflowers
smashed under the treads of a tank.
Dear Ukraine, Shelter in my thoughts
that hope is still in the hearts of many
around the world and at home.
Nate, age 12, Lakewood, Ohio
As the clouds cover your sunshine,
leaving you cold and alone,
I feel the warmth of my mother’s embrace
and long to share it with you.
Oh Ukraine, how you wander so lost and alone.
Come here, I will shelter you.
I'll grow your flowers in my yard
and wear your colors with pride
and when the day comes and you roam free,
I am here to rejoice with you.
Marin Petti, 8th grader at Lakewood Catholic Academy
Dear Ukraine, I want your wounds to heal.
I dream of your wheat, like feathers,
intermingling with the ash.
I dream of the ash fading away,
revealing blue skies
and the sun beating down on you.
I hope the soldiers leave your land
and let the sunflowers thrive again.
Garfield Middle School, 7th Grade, Lakewood, OH
When there is no roof,
we hold back the rain with our hands.
When there is no light,
we illuminate the dark with our voices.
When there are no walls,
we take shelter in each other.
Jamie Brian, age 25, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
I reach for you, Ukraine.
A choir of wounds and debris,
Your song reaches for me,
and I will sing along,
as loud as you need.
Jordan Casterline, age 16, Kent, Ohio
Dear Ukraine, I want your wounds to heal.
I dream of your wheat, like feathers,
intermingling with the ash.
I dream of the ash fading away,
revealing blue skies
and the sun beating down on you.
I hope the soldiers leave your land
and let the sunflowers thrive again.
Garfield Middle School, 7th Grade, Lakewood, OH
Dear Ukraine, be free from the demons
that haunt you, the demons who cast shadows
upon your glistening fields of gold.
Be free from the melancholy and the woe…
Take my hand and together
we will restore this land of gold.
Let me help you rebuild your home.
Vivian Blatnik, age 16, Theodore Roosevelt High School, Kent, OH
I’m so far from knowing the stomachache
you get every time you scurry from the gunfire.
From the blast of bombs ringing in your ears.
From the ashes of the places you once loved.
May you shower yourself with memories
of all the times you’ve won with the hope you
won’t forget the shine and warmth of peace.
Harding Middle School, 6th Grade, Lakewood, Ohio
Dear Ukraine,
sending hugs.
Faye, age 6
The Wick Poetry Center’s Traveling Stanzas community arts projects bring poetry to people’s everyday lives through innovative methods and digital platforms.