The boy of five said to the reporter
About his companion
On the great adventure.
I imagine his mother,
talking to her children
Afraid for their safety
But certain of the choice to flee.
“Just like the movies, Aleskii.
We’ll race through the streets in a car.
And run across fields.
And hide in ditches while the enemy passes
Not everyone will make it.
And you may see guns.
But we will get to Poland
because we are the heroes of this story.
And nothing bad happens
to heroes who are brave.
So don’t worry.
God will keep us safe.
And you will be very brave.
For Olga. You must be brave for Olga.“
“Olga is very brave herself.
We shall be brave together.”
Arriving in Poland with nothing
after days of bombs
And running
and guns
and fear
and death
and hunger
Five year old Aleskii feels like a hero now.
But he knows that Olga,
his hamster
Was also brave.
So he tells the reporter:
Olga was very brave.