IVAN 10 years old – Zaporizhzhia - 2025
***
I was in first grade when the war began,
Instead of school bells, sirens filled the air
I never knew how frightening it could be
Running to shelters, no more dreams to share.
What if it hadn’t happened? What if that day
We’d just woken at eight, missed school, gone to play?
What if my mother’s face showed smiles, not tears?
And we didn’t know to hide when danger nears?
What if cars just moved normally down the street,
And planes took off for beaches, warm and sweet?
Each evening we’d cheer when Dad came through the door,
We’d sit and laugh together, wanting nothing more…
We’d visit Grandma in Berdyansk by the sea,
Never knowing how much pain there could be
We’d look up at skies that bring only peace,
For happiness, we need just simple things…
Just to sleep through the night in our own warm bed,
No families torn apart by what lies ahead
Passenger planes flying freely overhead,
And war existing only in dreams instead
This is another poem from the book Poems for peace.
Apr 2
Apr 2, 2026 at 2:55 AM UTC
IVAN 10 years old – Zaporizhzhia - 2025
***
I was in first grade when the war began,
Instead of school bells, sirens filled the air
I never knew how frightening it could be
Running to shelters, no more dreams to share.
What if it hadn’t happened? What if that day
We’d just woken at eight, missed school, gone to play?
What if my mother’s face showed smiles, not tears?
And we didn’t know to hide when danger nears?
What if cars just moved normally down the street,
And planes took off for beaches, warm and sweet?
Each evening we’d cheer when Dad came through the door,
We’d sit and laugh together, wanting nothing more…
We’d visit Grandma in Berdyansk by the sea,
Never knowing how much pain there could be
We’d look up at skies that bring only peace,
For happiness, we need just simple things…
Just to sleep through the night in our own warm bed,
No families torn apart by what lies ahead
Passenger planes flying freely overhead,
And war existing only in dreams instead
This is another poem from the book Poems for peace.
Poems for Peace is a collection of poetry by Ukrainian children living through war. Gathered through a global UNICEF initiative launched in 2020, it gives voice to young people in conflict zones. Their poems reflect fear, loss, and separation, as war reaches their schools, homes, and playgrounds. Childhood is shaped by sirens, not school bells, yet their words carry hope and a shared dream of peace returning.
