I woke to drones tearing through the sky,
To distant shots and a buzzing swarm of flies.
They circle above me, waiting… waiting still.
I opened my eyes — the sky burned bright,
The sun was shining like nothing was wrong.
But the ceiling was gone, the roof had fallen,
And somewhere above, a rocket screamed along.
I tried to rise, to wash away the night,
And called out loud —
“Mom… Mom!”
But only silence answered me.
She won’t reply anymore.
She lies there by the broken window,
While flies whisper in the air
Like cruel echoes of forgotten prayers.
I wish I could wake the way I used to —
In a small bed, beside my mother’s warmth,
To hold my sister close,
To hear our little dog’s soft breath,
To run into the kitchen
And wrap my arms around my father…
But he won’t answer anymore.
He lies beside them now —
My mother, my sister,
And our little dog.
I just want to wake up
Like before…
*Tashkent, December 9, 2025*