Paul Pfleuger, Jr.


from Attunes

a serpentine armoured convoy
spotted in satellite images
vehicles pictured three abreast
a 40-mile-long military convoy
an unparalleled public spectacle
longer than previously thought      
tanks and heavy weaponry
hundreds of military vehicles
vehicles tanks fuel tankers
tanks and military hardware
vehicles artillery and soldiers
lines of ground forces
logistics and resupply vehicles 
tons of military equipment
the extended 40-mile parade
ominous and enormous convoy 
making little discernible progress
rumbling toward the capital
on its way to Kyiv
snaking toward the city
convoy slowly inching along
at a snail’s pace
satellites have captured imagery
images and video recorded
vulnerable from the air
the world is watching



          ***



the miles-long Russian convoy 
longer than initial estimates     	
using roads for transport
inching along for days
making very little progress
hasn't appreciably been moving
the advance has stalled
what do we know
why has it stalled
entering the muddy season
early spring extreme mud 
the timing was unusual
of the initial invasion
now a huge problem
barely moved bogged down
running out of gas
almost motionless for days 
stuck in the mud
lacking weapons and morale
facing freezing to death
easy target for drones
seemingly stuck vulnerable target
made sitting ducks of
continues capturing popular fascination
footage around social media
what will happen next
	


          ***



the now-infamous stalled convoy	
the massive Russian convoy
longer than initially thought
which sometimes spans three-wide
convoy of Russian troops
wending its way closer
to launch devastating assaults
as international condemnation escalated
slowed by unexpected resistance
lying on snow-covered roads
could face freezing conditions
infamous kilometers-long Russian convoy
snarled up Russian convoy
that out-of-gas Russian convoy
the much-discussed Russian convoy
vast stalled 40-mile convoy
continues to be stalled
delayed by staunch resistance
mechanical breakdown and congestion
morale and supply problems
fuel and food shortages
long and exposed convoy
out in the open
highly vulnerable to attack
broken up and redeployed
cut up and dispersed



          ***

Paul Pfleuger, Jr. lives and works in Chiayi, Taiwan. His poetry has appeared in several anthologies and in print and online journals and zines. He is the former co-editor of R'r online journal and is the author of A Zodiac, released by Red Moon Press.

 
 

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