Versailles of the Corruption Ball

by Vyacheslav Konoval

Everywhere you look amphora pots,

golden trays, delicious wines,

and the officials are to blame,

the corruption tender was not hidden,

shared among themselves,

an indifferent family was robbed.

The mayor stomps menacingly,

his honor was humiliated, defiantly cheated,

a waste of community funds,

they bought items from the city treasury.

Officials utilized the funds,

they are like experts, metropolitan psychologists,

goods to Kyiv's community in drums,

symptomatic items are carried to the shelter.

Beat the drums together

Let people be ignoring the rockets from above

swallow, for God's sake, tender,

at least drink it with tea.

But what is that tender?

Swallow the humanitarian vests,

swallow the weapons and cartridges,

and praiseworthy Ukrainian drones,

the war is going on, it will be for a long time,

the hand that washes the hand will not forget.

Vyacheslav Konoval is a Ukrainian poet whose work is devoted to the most pressing social problems of our time, such as poverty, ecology, relations between the people and the government, and war. His poems have appeared in many magazines, including Anarchy Anthology Archive, International Poetry Anthology, Literary Waves Publishing, Sparks of Kaliopa, Reach of the Song 2022, Diogenes for Culture Journal, «Scars of my heart from the war», «Poetry for Ukraine», «Rhyming», «La page Blanche», «Impacted», «Military Review», «The Lit», «Allegro», «Innisfree poetry journal», «Antunes Galaxy Poetry», «Ekscentrika», «Mere Inkling», «EgoPhobia», «Fulcrum», «Omnibus», «Lothlorien Poetry Journal», Revista Literaria «Taller Igitur», «Tarot Poetry Journal», «Tiny Seed Literature Journal», «Best American Poetry Blog», «Quilled Ink Review», «Chronograph Poetry Journal», the Appalachian Journal «Dark Horse», «Agape», «Mascara Literary Review», «Gray Sparrow», «ArLJo», «Ekstasis», «The Bloom Litarery Journal», «Novus Litarery Journal», «Lyrical Somerville», «Charleston Poets», «Briefly Zine», «Varied Spirit», «Taos Poetry Journal», «The Skinny Poetry Journal», «Academy of the Heart and Mind» Journal, «ARIEL CHART» International Literary Journal, «Poesia Ultracontemporanea», «New Ulster 124», «Revista Cronopio», «Gotic Nature», «WordCityLit», «TSaunders Pubs», «London Grip New Poetry», «Mill Valley Literary Review», «Zeitglass»,  «The Coin»,  «Coal Literary Journal», Orenaug Mountain Poetry Journal, Diamonds in the Rough magazine, Spy Community Media,  Delmarva Rewiev, Synchronized Chaos Journal,  The Horror Zine Journal. Vyacheslav's poems were translated into Spanish, French, Scottish, Italian, and Polish languages. His poems also have been read at meetings of various poetry groups, including Newman Poetry Group, Never Talk Innocence, Voicing Art Poetry Reading for Ukraine, Worcester County Poetry, Brussels Writer's Circle, and Poets Anonymous May Middle-Met, Brett Show by Andrea, the Manx Bard group, Allinghman Art Festival, Versopolis Poetry Expo 2023, poetry readings «Poetry of Struggle and Solidarity», «Poetic Voices», Coal Literary Journal's Eve, presentation at Albert van Abbehuis Fling. Vyacheslav's poems were presented at War Art Project.

He is a member of the Federation of Scottish Writers.