FLASH BANG

Flash Bang

The sky had lit up on that clear Spring night

Flashes and sounds of artillery fire overhead

Starbursts at first attractive and bright

A child was fascinated her mother filled with dread

Deafened for a moment as a shell landed and burst

When she opened her eyes her mother was not there

She stared into the dust cloud fearing the worst

Dismembered bodies lay scattered in the square

In the Kremlin terrorist office lives had no meaning

Where there was no value any means could be used

They knew their objective was ethnic cleaning

A shallow thinking where human life was abused

In a split second many children became orphans

Families were lost and communities raised to the ground

The Eagle looked on seeing only a series of misfortunes

For the children new homes were sought and found

For each child any loud bang or flash was a nightmare

Horrific images were recalled from their mind

They would run to hide under a table or a chair

The terror of the moment could not be left behind

New playmates overseas at first were confused

When they gathered together for festive celebration

Invites with fireworks present were politely refused

Trauma is now embedded in a new generation

Copyright: David Hopcroft October 2025