Winter War Poem by Liilia Talts Morrison

Fields sparking white
Spread to the edge of the earth
A team of oxen slowly moves
At the ancient pace
No trees to break the snowy spread
The silent sound of hooves

Look! Carrots!
Thick as your arm
Turnips! Hard as stone
Like monuments
And beets! Small blood red
And sweet
The only sweet

Reindeer
A distant herd grazing in the distance
The farmer secretly dreams of meat
But cannot eat

Vibrant, clear
A shot cuts through the sunny morning scene
Slim leather whip prostrates a shapeless back

The booted kolhoznik breaks
A gray hued peasant
Who was in his way
He falls against the frozen earth

An ancient wooden clog is thrown aside
Revealing a home knit woolen sock
With many holes.