On an isolated hilltop near Pripyat Marsh
In an empty landscape that’s both barren and harsh;
Stands, in memoriam, a large Orthodox cross
Dedicated to criminal folly and loss.
With bold hubris the Soviet management chose
To ignore deadly threats that splitting atoms pose.
They would stage the ultimate emergency drill.
It would be executed with consummate skill.
With undue grandly vainglorious arrogance
Director Fomin decided to flirt with chance.
Reactor rods could be drawn down to thirty two
As long as each technician did what he had to do.
With the final count, they found there were seventeen;
Pandemonium soon took over at the scene.
Protective cooling waters were turned into steam;
A nightmarish vision from the nuclear dream.
An increase in pressure led to a steam explosion
Setting the two kiloton reactor lid in motion.
Machinist Khodemchuk was the first one to die
As the hydrogen blast spewed debris towards the sky.
The initial assault made by the brave Pravik
Exposed him to radiation that made him sick.
The deadly gamma rays that had cooked him through
And changed the color of his eyes from brown to blue.
The toxic fire raged on for fifteen long days;
Neglected citizens removed after delays.
The official toll – Just forty-six adults died
And from cancer, nine small children whose parents cried.
How many others developed deadly cancers?
A grand government cover up clouds the answers.
Like fallout, the population has drifted away
And the ghostly city stands empty to this day.
On an isolated hilltop near Pripyat Marsh
In an empty landscape that’s both barren and harsh;
Stands, in memoriam, a large Orthodox cross
Dedicated to criminal folly and loss.
Author notes
This poem was inspired by a picture of an Orthodox cross in an snowy field.
Prompt: Image is called Forgotten Cross, by Photographic Artist Roman Loranc
In a list
A contest entry
- Study in Black and White VII~the forgotten cross by JinSays.
800 points, ended November 15, 2008, 10 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 13 of 13
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Interesting - but these marshes are normally refrred to in the plural. Also, why do you use the Russian spelling? In the languages of the two countries (belarus and Ukraine) whose border runs through the area. it is a short "i" sound which is normally transliterated as "y"...
Sorry is this seems pernickety - but Belarus and Ukraine have been my special field of activity for over 50 years!
AND I happened to Soviet correspondent of the journal "Nature" when the catastrophe happened - and am still involved with the afterrmath. -
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I am sorry that this poem disappointed you. I cannot please everyone all of the time. You may well be an expert in this area. I have seen the swampy area described as a marsh or as marches. Also, I used the Russian spelling because the accident occured under Soviet auspices. The books I own on the subject and most of the articles that I have read use the Russian spelling. I used the spelling that, to me, is ths most common.
Your input is interesting.
Mike
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Wonderful storytelling Mike, this is a testament to what we've done to our Mother. Sad it has to come back and haunt us after so many years.
You done good with this prompt my friend, thank you.
Jin
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Thank you for reading and commenting Jin. I have worked in the environmental field almost all of my adult life. I am glad you enjoyed the poem. It is a subject that needs to be studied in more depth and should be required in any World History class.
P.S. I hate talking about things as being part of History that occurred when I was an adult.
Mike
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I watches a doco on Chernobyl, you hav done it justice with a powerful and in ya face write,
very impressive and well thought out my friend
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I am glad you enjoyed this. I have wanted to do one on this subject for a long time. Thanks for reading and commenting on my poem.
Mike
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Powerful.
This is a powerful testimony to the atrocies of going too far. We have tested nature way too long and so this poem is very poignant. I would not change not even one line.
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Thank you very much for reading and commenting. I am a hazmat instructor. This is a poem that I have wanted to write for a long time. I could have written a book about it. I find history poems challenging as a rhymer as I have to be accurate and rhyme.
Mike
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Superb plus
Wow, what a tribute to the foolishness of politicians (and others), who sometimes think they know it all. Science, is a wonderful tool for us to use, except when we humans get too arrogant about the way in which we choose to use it. A most excellent write, indeed, my friend.
A footnote: for those who do not know where the marshes are, that you've mentioned, here's a Google Link (URL):
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=RNWO,RNWO:2008-24,RNWO:en&q=%3CPripyat+Marsh+%2D%28+Russia%29%3E
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The head of the Soviet nuclear program died of raditation exporsure from the accident. He devised the test. His background was in the national hydroelectric program. He was given the nuclear program shortly before the accident because he was politically well connected. At that time, he did not know the fundementals of splitting the atom. Outside of the engineered famines in the Ukraine and China, it is one of the worst technologically and politically engineered disasters.
Mike -
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Aye, indeed it was; and such tragedies must be avoided in the future. But how?
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A chilling tale told in wonderful imagery, sensitive wording and great form. So sad that us mere minions have to bear the consequences of authority's arrogance. A superb write.
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Thank you for reading and commenting. One of the intersting facets of Soviet research was, if the west said white, the Soviets would say black, not matter how absurd. That is part of the reason behind the disaster.
Mike
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