The Rape of Ukraine

In France they say if the guy penetratesBut does not ejaculate then he did not rape meWhich is exactly like RussiaPenetrating into Ukraine, penetrating intoGeorgia and how do you know if Moscow ejaculates? And the curious sympathy one feelsWhen feeling with the handThe naked meat of the bodyPoise on the hips, reclining,Arm-curving and tightening. And

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How This Will All End

Tickling in masksPast perfect, post hasteWishing a kiss toEmpower cracked lips. Yet I angrily stare atMaskless stragglersYouthful faces bareProudly naked rebels. Citing digital cyphersOf being wellForced smilesOf mental pretence. Yet shard-like wrathPierces my covered complexionMasking my contortedFrustration. Pausing and waitingUntouching spotless stepsPhantom amongst phantomsGhost amongst ghosts. Yet when it passesOur invisibility will remainShadows floating in

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Lost Polish Tribe on Haiti…

It’s not something I normally do but the following post has proved to be so popular that I have decided to re-post it. Enjoy. Perhaps the most intriguing group of people among Poland’s huge diaspora (the so-called Polonia) are the ‘Poles of Haiti’. I heard about this lost little enclave of ‘Polishness’ on radio and

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Bizarre Tunes – Five of the Best

Just to cheer things up a little I’ve decided to share with you five of my favourite light-hearted numbers. They’re odd, strange but they always put a smile on my face. We’ll begin with the sultan of dank and dirty blues, the master of juju-, voodoo-tinted zydeco and the king of boogie woogie, Dr John.

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Bizarre Polish Place Names

Inspired by several polls, lists and tables of ludicrous, embarrassing and rude English place names, I have decided to compile a similar list for Poland. However, before we get down to the polski equivalents, let’s delve into the most bizarre English ones I have been able to unearth. The Mirror and The Telegraph both have wonderful ‘top tens’

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Adventures in Lemko Land

Inspired by what I had read and researched for a recent post, I decided to grab my bike and head down south to deepest, darkest Lemko Land. I decided to pick a place (or places) that were close to water. My destinations were the villages of Łosie and Klimkówka (the latter being created after the

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Lemko Land

History is all about ifs and buts and one particular region seems indicative of this statement. This region is Lemko Land, better known as Łemkowszczyzna or Lemkivshchyna. Sadly, the population of this region was decimated by Operation Wisła which forcibly repatriated and/or deported thousands of Lemkos changing the character of the region forever. It’s odd

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When East Becomes West

Are we witnessing a gradual westward cultural shift in Europe? Are we facing a post-modern crisis where identities increasingly overlap and blur? Is the definition of Western Europe the same now as it was in 1945? Mitteleuropa Revisited An even trickier question is what (or where) is Central Europe? The geographical centre of Europe (not

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Adventures in Ruritania…

Once upon a time – long, long ago – there existed a kingdom, a nation which has now disappeared off the map without a trace. By many it was regarded as a beautiful, romantic land, with castles, palaces, a place of fairy-tales. Words like honour and romance were held in deep regard. In a word, Ruritania

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Silesia – city state or ethnic region?

Recently, the Poland’s Minister for the Interior and Administration Ludwik Dorn publicly announced that the government are moving forward in their plans for the creation of a super-Silesian urban aglommeration. The superpolis will swallow up seventeen towns and cities who will have no option to opt out of being part of the new metropolitan area. The

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