An Evening in Kyiv

An Evening in Kyiv

written & performed by: Gerry Stefanson

last night, I viewed an old woman and soldier
under the streetlight, she reached out a packet to him.

last night, he placed it in his pocket and smiled
her lips pursed tight she spoke these words.

this pouch contains sunflower seeds, our national flower
from my garden, once my mother’s garden, once her mother’s garden.
this pouch I sewed from my grandfather’s WW1 shirt.

I gift it to you, so when you die in our country, far from home
and your corpse falls forgotten to the ground,
these sunflower seeds will bloom,
and my great, great-grandchildren may spy them in time.

will think of me and my many gifts to foreign soldiers like you
and remember the terrible price we all pay.

Last night, I saw her approach many soldiers.

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Gerry Stefanson

MAY 2022 AUTHOR OF THE MONTH at Spillwords Press

Born and raised on the prairies of Manitoba Canada, along the Red River and just south of Lake Winnipeg. Then Alberta and ten years in the Rockies, just above Montana. The last decade in the Canadian Gulf Islands. People, ideas and stories set the stage of my poetry and writing. Music and art fill my days and verse fills my head. I feel the fortunate one and share this world with my life partner.

Latest posts by Gerry Stefanson (see all)

• A Period, Couldn’t Stop Them! - July 22, 2022
• Interview Q&A With Gerry Stefanson - June 16, 2022
• An Afternoon in Kyiv - May 21, 2022