The Act Of Being Polite (Redux)
It is said that one could walk
from one end of Kyiv
to the other in the summertime
without leaving the shade
of its many horse-chestnut trees.
I imagine Vladimir Horowitz
took inspiration from those very trees.
Only a few survived the onslaught.
Kyiv’s Independence Square
is just the start
of your adventure.
Hanging out,
people-watching,
shopping, dining.
Enjoy our city!
Winter trees,
dead and dying.
You won’t mind.
You won’t know.
Nothing is hidden.
The Museum of Unnecessary Things
is home to, among other curiosities,
the world’s first vacuum cleaner.
It’s a must-see stop
on your Ukraine adventure.
The man huddles, frozen,
hands over his eyes.
His moaning
unnerves the others.
Kyiv’s metro station,
Zoloti Vorota,
lies 317 feet underground.
Be sure and visit as
Zoloti Vorota is home
to 80 large mosaic pieces,
including an outstanding
depiction of Michael the Archangel,
patron saint of Kyiv.
This man suffers greatly.
His wife is dead.
Keep him covered
and, for God’s sake,
keep him quiet.
Dozens of coffee vans
bring cheap coffee
for those in need
of a pick-me-up.
Park yourself
on a nearby bench
beneath the shade
of our many trees.
I know that man.
He writes for Travel to Ukraine,
a tourism guide
promoting our country.
He is my friend.
Want one of the
very best places to visit
during your Kyiv adventure?
Look no further!
It’s the Museum of The History of Ukraine in World War II Memorial Complex.
Marvel at the 200-foot-tall Motherland Monument
standing upon the 130-foot-tall museum building.
And for a small fee,
you can climb to the top
of the monument and
stick your head out.
The moaning is done.
The man does not move.
He is floating, distant.
Finally, you can pay your respects
at the Babi Yar Memorial Park.
34,000 Jews were murdered here,
as well as gypsies,
the mentally disabled,
Soviet POWs,
and anyone deemed “undesirable”
by the Nazi regime.
May peace and tranquility
be with you all the days of your life.
Safe journey home, my friends.
Archangel Michael smiles
at the man fixed in time
317 feet underground.
You are redeemed, my son.
You are loved.
Amen.
