there were mounds of earth

then coffins

also dug out ugly pits for to hold the coffins

then children at school with blue and yellow flowers in their hair

and ribbons streaming vivid chaos in their wake

then there was the deep grief of a nation at war

then winter feinting at the edge of hope

like a man moves in and out of Russian crosshairs with a knife alone naked to his arm

then there was spring

but only some children left with crayons

of yellow and blue

for to colour in the graves