The dress I ordered arrived today
in teal blue, not aqua. And of course
I know it’s not much of a grievance
beside the bodies pulled
from bombed buildings in Ukraine.
But don’t we all deserve a world
where we get what’s promised
in the picture?
So safe beneath my sturdy roof,
I call customer service to hear
a voice from another time zone
apologize and offer a refund
if I am not completely satisfied.
No, I’m not completely satisfied
with a world where I’m powerless
to stop the shelling in Ukraine
or give a woman there, the life
she expected in aqua, not teal blue
About the Poem
This poem expresses my grief and frustration over what is happening in Ukraine. Peaceful lives in Ukraine were suddenly upended. Ukrainians no longer have the luxury of being annoyed over minor inconveniences in a retail purchase the way, I, as an American still do.
About the Author
Jacqueline Jules is the author of Manna in the Morning (Kelsay Books) and fifty books for young readers, including Tag Your Dreams: Poems of Play and Persistence (Albert Whitman). Her work has appeared in over 100 publications. Visit www.jacquelinejules.com