Where the Heart Is...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

"Battles are lost in the same spirit in which they are won.” Walt Whitman

"In war, whichever side may call itself the victor, there are no winners, only losers." – Neville Chamberlain

"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." – Martin Luther King Jr.

As an embattled Ukraine fights on and tens of thousands seek safe haven in neighbouring countries, so the rest of the world pat themselves on the back for supporting Ukraine in every way but meaningful enough to make Putin’s troops withdraw. Supplying arms, sanctuary and applying sanctions are welcome moves, but it is not difficult to imagine the agony of those in Ukraine fighting for their own and their country’s very survival.

Inspirational resistance by Ukraine notwithstanding, it is looking increasingly inevitable that Russian forces will eventually take control. One cannot help but wonder what or who will be next in Putin’s sights? He would not, after all, be the first person - world leader or otherwise - to let one success go to his head...

Meanwhile, as a friend recently commented, we should never underestimate either ourselves or human nature  in general, there being no such thing the 'ordinary' man and woman in the street. We are all of us, each in his and her own way, capable of the most extraordinary acts, not least by taking on various  life forces threatening us; winners all, whether or not we are perceived as losers.

WHERE THE HEART IS...

North, South, East West,
I am that place where I feel safest,
for being able to talk
laugh, engage with loved ones,
friends and good neighbours,
shut out dire thoughts
of being anywhere else but here,
where I can dream in peace of sunnier tomorrows
sure to greet you-me-us

Few dreamers dare to go
where roads ahead grow dark and long,
love needing an outlet,
for such prejudices and hate that invade
my life and personal space
without my consent, yet unable to prevent
their presence in me,
supposedly a passing distraction, even as homing in
on potential self-destruction

Yet, beneath appearances
inviting such comments as ‘but ordinary’
dwell an extraordinary
treasure of life forces, such as bravery
in the face of hard times,
love and compassion able to take a lead,
despite all but surrounded
by conditions even angels may well be wary of treading
for dread of human suffering

Call me’ Home’ wherever I be,
mind-body-spirit in like company, no ordinary
force for living,
but giving as well as taking, fighting its enemies,
defending its rights,
yet unity and friendship always in its sights
no matter such ways of a world
where division is almost second nature where Finance rules,
mistaking ‘ordinary’ folks for fools

They are the fools, though, devils
invading human anxiety, divining their flaws
for strengths by such vanity
as sometimes possesses powers that be, crossing
red lines, the length and breadth
of all walks of humanity,
making out it is in potentially in their interests
while pursuing their own, ever preening themselves in mirrors,
feeding media sources but half-truths

I, though, have its measure, the human heart with such love in it
that alien forces can neither win over nor defeat

Copyright R. N. Taber, 2022