poetry / writing prompts

Escape

Chris Hall78 Comments
The image shows a girl carrying an oversized geometry set in her arms, looking directly at the camera.

snatching up the tools of her trade
gathering together
her books, her notes
small remnants of her life

eyes wide with fear
her flatmate clutches
their little dog
to her chest

travelling by train, on foot
they finally reach the border
her skills, at least
are portable

~~~~~~~~

inspired by an article from yesterday’s SA Sunday Times in which three SA final year students escaped from Ukraine to Slovakia (their little dog, Mowgli, made it out too)

Image credit: Houcine Ncib @ Unsplash
The image shows a girl carrying an oversized geometry set in her arms, looking directly at the camera.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #124 photo prompt

78 thoughts on “Escape”

        • I think that that is what we have to cling to. This sort of thing should not happen after all that has gone on over the past century or so, and yet I, for one, am lost for a solution. Hard to remember some times the good ones out number the bad by a million to one.

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          • Putin’s behaviour is astonishing and appalling but it seems the world is powerless to make him retreat without worse consequences. But, yes, I agree, there is far more good in the the world, it’s just difficult to see at the moment.

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    • I’m just glad they could leave and are safe.

      Though it makes me sad how badly the education system has been hit – first the pandemic now the war.

      Soulful peace of writing. Happy for Mowgli too, and pray that they are safe and find the right environment to flourish now.

      I also pray for peace to prevail and mankind to see each other’s inner light.

      “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” – Jimi Hendricks

      Have a good week!

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  16. It’s sad that anyone should be forced to flee from the country they call home, Chris. Especially now that we are living in 2022, and not back in the days of the barbarians.
    Mind you, it seems that some folk still believe we are living in those backward times.

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      • Ugh… oligarch has replaced boulevard as my least favourite word; it puts a barrier up in front of me every time I see it!
        To those people, I’ve been thinking, everything is normal, so I can’t see them doing anything very much…

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        • You’re probably right, Tom. A couple of multi-million dollar yachts impounded? I guess that’s just small change to them. In fact, I was reading in the paper just now that most of them have their wealth stored away in shell companies and other untraceable locations.
          (Wondering what you’ve got against ‘boulevard’?🤔)

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          • I’ve no idea, Chris… the word grated on me ever since I first saw it years ago. I know it’s an odd word, I know, but it just does… well did! Oligarch is up there now… oligarch looks ugly though, whereas boulevard just makes me shudder. I am odd! 😊
            I wonder if those untraceable locations use a sanctioned banking system? That would be poetic.

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    • My heart goes out to the Afghani women too. So much achieved, only to be subjected to the return of the Taliban’s iron-rod rule, and now the economy is heading for collapse. A dreadful situation.

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  27. The current news reminds me of the play ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ – so many people lost their possesions and they were the lucky ones who didn’t loose their lives.

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