Odesa (She Weeps) was written in memory of Olga, late wife to my good friend Tony and though it’s been in the ‘locker’ for over five years, now seems like a good time to release it as a download with 100% of the proceeds going to the DEC’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

Our beautiful friend Olga passed away five years ago from an aggressive form of cancer aged just 47. She now lies at peace in an English Village Churchyard.

In 2010, we took a train South from Kyiv to Odesa where Olga grew up. Odesa is a port city on the Black Sea in southern Ukraine. It’s known for its beaches and 19th-century architecture, including the Odesa Opera & Ballet Theatre. The monumental Potemkin Stairs, immortalised in ‘The Battleship Potemkin’, lead down to the waterfront with its Vorontsov Lighthouse. Running parallel to the water, the Grand Primorsky Boulevard is a popular promenade lined with mansions and monuments.

The people we met always wanted to talk about visiting London, Paris and Rome and Olga’s mother Victoria, who still lives in Odesa and currently shelters from bombs in a basement, always wanted to visit Ireland. Tony (her son-in-law as Victoria stills likes to call him), is now trying to “rescue” her and if anyone can battle through the paperwork, visas, logistics and obstacles to get her back to the UK, Tony can! Even if that means driving to Odesa himself. He will! He’s Welsh! Say no more!

When Ukraine gained its independence in the August of 1991 it looked towards the West and away from the ‘Bear’.

Investment started to come in. The Port welcomed Cruise Liners and the areas around the marinas benefitted from major building and landscaping refurbishments. People started to enjoy cafés, bars, shops and hotels and the money started to feed back into the city where beautiful old Parisienne style buildings were now getting much need make-overs and repairs. I remember it was sometimes safer to walk in the middle of the road as fallen masonry and roof tiles were evident on the pavement, and looking up I’d be thinking “there’s no way I’d be standing on that dodgy, crumbling Juliette balcony!”.

The energy and enthusiasm of the people I met was, in my opinion, due to being unshackled, if that’s the right word.

The ‘Bear’ is now angry and lashing out at its wanting-to-be-prosperous neighbour, though it’s the Bear ‘cubs’ that now lay stiff on the Ukrainian Steppes whilst their mothers wait longingly for news and weep, as do the Ukrainians.

For our Olga who weeps no more.

Sleeps as asked in sunshine laid.

God Bless

Jonjo