(cleaned it up a little)
Thanks, btw to Ivan the Barbarian, for the format.

G

(Djangoo) wrote:


Chechen website acknowledges heavy casualties

Chechens have acknowledged their worst casualties to date amid the unrelenting
assault on the area's capital, Grozny.

A total of 45 guerrillas had been killed and 60 wounded in the past 24 hours,
according to the Chechen rebel website. It said Russian air strikes and
shelling "did not pause for a minute"

Grozny, Jan 22, 2000

O Great is God! the warriors cry,
the lower tunnel shaking
as the shells howl down from the heights outside
and the ground in nightmare quaking.
And the dust so thick 'mid the shattered brick
and the smoke through the crevice swirling
and the whining howls reaching down to the bowels
of the earth where the men are curling.

Now the barrage peaks and Shamil shrieks:
Tanks! Tanks! you can *feel* them coming
Through the yellow air into looming glare
stooping low now the men are running.

Through the poison reek and the whining shriek
Rising high as the four leave the quarters
To the rat-atat-tat and the heartstop crack
and the thump and the crump of the mortars.

Up the shattered street on the bones and the meat
of the dead now the tracks are creaking
and the first grey hulk pokes its looming bulk
through the smoke with its cannon seeking.

All are down on the ground as the infantry pound
up the street, rifles held at the ready
and the men press still 'gainst the concrete chill
of the yard - eyes alert - breathing hard, holding steady.

Then the tank creaks by and Shamil lets fly
with the RPG at point blank distance
while the russian troops moan as their tank is blown
and the bold rebels run to the entrance..


Well they died, but they died bravely. I'll finish the story later..

Grantland