Spring of a Down - 5
На крилах пісень
The soldier came knocking upon the Queen’s door.[1] With the twiddly branches of old white oak trees along time planted on wide boulevards hanging delicately over streets whose names had been forgotten. Tied width crossing lattices lines of electrical round light with a patina of old bulbs – the new kind which made less heat was still being debated in the council chamber. Now one spoke over these wires. In the distance large rectangular office buildings humped in the skyline. It was the largest creation of humanity in that land which was now called Ukraine.
The soldier came knocking with ill intent. In the soldier’s mind, he was a conquering hero who would be venerated by his citizens. But the citizens did not see him that way and so the soldier came crashing down on the Queen. A Queen that had been known for her sense of wit and many thought that she would bend and break when threatened by the glower. Threads across the boulevards were no match, so it seemed, for the brutal and bluster of the soldier’s carrying.
The sun rose, woke up clear. It was a kind of spring where the buds started their inexorable march towards unfolding. A man looked up from the sidewalk and merely stared at the loveliness that surrounded him. Spring does not care for the goings-on of soldiers.
A ray where a spark pours but Aleksander was not in tune with the season instead, he brooded on the days yet to come when the Russians would strike with all their might against Kyiv. He knew he would be at the front because of his long days of training over the last several years. In that time, he had grown used to an overbearing demeanor and crisp sharp commands. He had also been given trust over the then he commanded because there was nothing that he asked of any man that he would not do himself.
He looked down at the sneakers and stretched out the toes. It was a morning off before he went back to the area that had become the base. But Aleksander found nothing but time to brood on the coming night’s events. Though he would not pass the words over his lips he was afraid, deeply deathly afraid. So, would any man who knew that rivals were trying to find foes and rockets were landing a higgedly piggly to turn over the earth and scatter its contents hither and yon.
He looked up and down the boulevard with no cars, people, trucks, or dogs. Only the cats were scattered over the asphalt, and most of them were retiring for their sleep. It was serene. And it was serene most of the time, but rockets’ red glare had intruded a few times in the night. They had ripped down concrete walls and huge windowpanes. He saw one just down the street.
Then up ahead, he saw a young man with black hair. He would see that man in uniform very soon because the young man was part of his company.
Of course, the officer spoke. “Greetings.”
Leo looked up; it was clear that he was thinking other thoughts. “Kapitan.” A clear smile lit up the young man’s face. “I would not have taken you as a man who would spend any time wandering the street. Are you going to be ready for tonight?” And then hastily: “Sir.”
Aleksander smiled. Leo had only been promoted to Serzhant just before. It was still a junior non-commissioned officer rank.
“Serzhant, I will tell you a small secret: we must be ready to do our duty but realize that we are never truly prepared for any eventuality.” The words came out of his mouth, and they formed a regular type of dialogue that he had mastered in his time in the Army.
Leo nodded.
Sometime later Aleksander was controlling a tank and Leo was taking the helm. It was dark with dark clouds overhead. They were in the woods the trees crowded around them. Quiet, and the wind does not blow. He is reaching for other lives: a pot on the fir guilt ground, a ripped up pooh now distend out of pooh corner, lingerie divinized with no one left to wear it.[2] Shredded bags, torn blankets skiterways. Only on the hut is white.
There was an urgency. Into the night munitions fired and detonated. Aleksander looked up, down, and all around. In a flash, he saw a weapon. In the bushes. Aiming, aiming for him. There was a moment of panic. But only one, because without realizing it his pistol was locked and loaded. Both men fired. His enemy missed. Aleksander did not.
The soldier was killed.[3] Off in the distance, a helicopter bloomed white and exploded. Crash, beep, beep.[4]
Without realizing it, he went through the motion of halting the tank. Then he slung over the side with Leo watching his commander’s coolness under fire. Aleksander went on all fours and examined the kill. It was a Yefréytor – a private first class. He too was young. As to the young men, he protected. Waste of life otherwise. But his charges would come home, to their mothers and sisters. “Sometimes nothing happens like on the wing of songs.”[5]
Then looking down at his work.
“Sometimes I dig the grave.”
[1] An allusion to Vega, “The Queen and the Soldier”.
[2] An allusion to Milne, “A House at Pooh Corner.”
[3] An allusion to Vega, “The Queen and the Soldier”.
[4] The Playmates, “Honk, Rattle, Crash, Beep Beep”
[5] Lesya Ukrainka (Леся Українка) – Book of poetry. Title.