The world is witnessing
footage of tanks being pulled by tractors
and the world being pulled by bad actors
perceiving it differently
some with shock, others callous laughter
watching the country Putin is after
watching it distantly
in order to avoid more disaster
or a Russian soldier’s blaster
in a frosty Eastern European fridge.

It’s not just about burning one bridge
because we’re all interconnected
so other countries interjected
taking umbrage
with the taking of suffrage
so other bridges start crumbling
under destruction wondrous
and Russian tanks rumbling
so politicians start stumbling
to dissuade the invasive horde
while not getting too involved
fearing further diplomacy dissolve.

Controlling the center of the board
is a good way of beating your opponent in chess
but nobody wants in the center of this mess
so both sides lean forward more
aggressively guarding perimeters
that Ukraine falls in between
now the world waits and sees
in a war started under Demeter
if the frostbitten bleed.