one of those things
the glorious girl in the sexy glorious
to the waist fitted cleavage glimmering
red gossamer dress celebrating her class prom
in the grey brick ruins of their school in kharkiv ukraine,
caressing the folds of her dress, face to the camera,
aware of the moment, the theatre the backdrop
the shattered windows & walls,
dead kids, soldiers, civilians, old people, young volunteers,
moms crossing a bridge w/children, defenders captured
& shot, tending your garden on your knees,
murdered by the russian invading army
but
not
an 18 year old, not a 15 year old,
with an assault rifle, an AK-47, a child
slaughtering fellow children
miles from his own home
as ella is now singing,
just one of those things