Pascha Wars

A poem for Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus

Winter snows have passed, days grow longer Troops on the borders amassed, tensions grow stronger

Is this how you spend Great Lent? Preparing for slaughter? What cost to your souls to be spent? Isn’t there something broader?

Your Orthodox faith ties you together, yet you still raise your guns Will your souls burn in hell forever, Our Holy Mother shuns?

For now, lay down the weapons, instead to Pascha let us march Oh, leaders, look to the heavens, and please do not be harsh

Can you stand in the fields of battle and look into each other’s eyes? Instead of wishing death’s rattle and saying to those you love, good-byes

We are brothers and sisters in faith, let us always remember that Give not into the dark wraith who wants us to shoot, rat-a-tat-tat

Fasting and prayer, fasting and prayer, please oh, Lord, don’t let them shoot Lasting not forever, lasting not forever, just long enough for peace to take root

Set an example, ye who are great, prostate please before the blessed icons It is never too late, to give the command and lay down the guns

And to come together for the Great Holy Feast, to celebrate His rising with a new sun Please do not give yourselves into the beast, to Christ’s love let us all run

Maybe we can walk across dangerous fields, embrace our fellow soldiers, just for now To remember it is not weak to be the one who yields, sweat on all of our brow

Could we just attend Divine Liturgy together, and give our Confessions on the field of death? Knowing this peace may not last forever, but honoring Him before our last breath

Let us remember that once you were one, but those times are now over In the end, nobody has won, but the world may see you can love one another

That you can be stronger without lead filling your brother’s bellies Your true history is longer, instead of how they think the Slavs belies

Lord have mercy on all of us, for in You we trust.