I Found a Poem on X

(X, the platform formerly known as Twitter)

When world leaders expressed, on X, their support for Ukraine’s President Zelensky in the aftermath of the Oval Office Offense, I saw powerful poetry. With gratitude for their words, I’ve arranged separate lines to read like the poem I felt in my bones. (This is a genre known as “found poetry”—when a poet sees/finds a poem where none was originally intended.) The words are verbatim from the social media posts on “X.” The only phrase I chose to repeat—“The truth is simple”—appeared only once, in a single post.*

Slava Ukraini!

The truth is simple. 
Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia is the aggressor. 
Russia illegally and unjustifiably invaded Ukraine.
We repeat, Russia is the aggressor. 
Ukraine is a victim of Russian aggression.
We want lasting peace and an end to the war of aggression that Russia has started.
We wholeheartedly support Ukraine in their quest for just and lasting peace against the unprovoked and unlawful Russian aggression.

The truth is simple.
Russia is the aggressor.
Ukraine defends its freedom and ours. We stand with Ukraine.
Slovenia upholds the principles and respect of international law. 
Full support for Ukraine: whatever it takes, for as long as it takes.

We stand with Ukraine.
Sweden stands with Ukraine. 
Luxembourg stands with Ukraine.
Latvia stands with Ukraine.
Iceland stands with Ukraine.
Ukraine, Spain stands with you.
We stand firmly in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Denmark proudly stands with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.
We stand by Ukraine in their fair struggle for a just and lasting peace. 

The truth is simple.
Fairness and above all…decency.

We stand by Ukraine.
We stand with Ukraine more than ever.
We stand with Ukraine and on the side of the free world!
We stand united alongside Ukraine against Russian aggression.
Finland stands with the people and the people’s right to choose.

Netherlands continues to support Ukraine. Especially now.
Diplomacy sometimes is the art of the impossible in difficult circumstances…
respect of international law and international relations. 
What we witnessed in the Oval Office today undermines these values
and the foundations of diplomacy.

Ukraine can always count on Portugal.
Reassured Estonia’s support to Ukraine whatever it takes.
Unwavering support from Germany, Europe and beyond.
It is time for Europe to take the lead on the path to peace in Ukraine. 
Canada will continue to stand with Ukraine and Ukrainians in achieving a just and lasting peace.
We stand behind Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in their historic fight to defend themselves against an unprovoked Russian aggression.

The Croatian Government stands firm in its belief that Ukraine needs such a peace—a peace that means sovereignty, territorial integrity, and a secure Europe. 
We need to spare no effort for just and lasting peace. 

In Ukraine, people have chosen freedom.
Their fight is our fight. United we are strong.
Ukrainians have fought with courage and resilience. 
You are fighting for your freedom and a rules-based international order. 
Their fight for democracy, freedom, and sovereignty is a fight that matters to us all.
It fights the war with the help from many friends and partners. 

The truth is simple.
Ukraine is not alone.
Dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone.
Ukraine is not alone.
Ukraine, you’ll never walk alone.
You are not alone.

The truth is simple. 
Only a just peace can last.
You are not only fighting for your freedom but also for all of Europe’s. 
Their defense of democracy and their quest for peace and security is ours.
We are working on a common path to a lasting and just peace. 
Ukraine’s security, sovereignty, and resilience.
Time for Europe to step up its efforts.
Slava Ukraini!

*Thank you, The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak, for including the screenshot of X posts (in a rare case of “X-post-fact-o”?), which inspired this poem.

Readers: I highly recommend subscribing to The Counteroffensive—news and perspective from Ukraine you will get nowhere else. You may even find a poem.

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If you would like to share a poem or support for Ukraine, this is your space to do so. If you want to rant, please choose one of the hundreds social media sites created for that purpose. This is not that place. Thank you for respecting this request.