My Grandfathers started life on opposite sides of that Empire
The Greek one started life in Odessa as his parents were touring with their Opera company
while the other escaped Russia with his mother and Prussian father
later to enlist against the Germans while the Greek one became a surgeon
amputating the limbs of soldiers damaged in the dessert
both acted against fascism
And now we have a new picture in the gallery of rogues
Joining Adolf, Josef and Mao, Saddam and Pol Pot
Welcome Vlad the Invader, a fascist who murders his brothers and threatens us all
A pariah on the world stage, poor little man feels so misunderstood
defending those he planted to stir trouble with a massive overreaction
My Grandfathers look down with disgust at the sins of the empire
Putin’s evil is obvious to everyone but himself
His life does not balance against the suffering he directs
from his throne of death and suffering
as each day of his war passes, his rationale lies empty
his threats are disgusting and his objective is meaningless
to all but himself
Ukraine is not part of Russia, it is the other way around
Russia is the grandchild and Ukraine the mother who forged identity
Ukraine grew up while Russia kept itself in the cold
And now Vlad is frozen in his coat of the blood of his brothers
for him it is personal, for the world a tragedy
it is his evil at work
1st March 2022