War Poetry

While Europe Stood By

While Europe stood by
My HOMELAND was burning
My brothers were dying
My mother was crying

While Europe stood by
Serbia went mad
Cities, villages and churches they ravaged
My Homeland they claimed

While Europe stood by
Columns of children were missed
Cold graves were all that was found
Bones of my people to be counted

While Europe stood by
Crimes were committed
No one reacted
While my Homeland suffered

While Europe stood by
The executioner's doors were opened
My brother's were enslaved
The defenders convicted

While Europe stood by
Chains of slavery were created
Croatian beauty destroyed
A bloody toll collected

“Stop the war in Croatia”
“Europe you can stop the war”
My brothers sang
For the World to hear

But while Europe closed its eyes
Our nation was reborn
From flames and hot ashes
From the blood of my people
My Homeland - My Croatia

If only Europe would awake
From its deep sleep
And give my Homeland what it has earned
Through the bloody toll it has payed
To be recognized as a EUROPEAN nation

If only Europe would stop standing coldly by
Judging my brothers with cold indifference

By Frank Tot
Translated from the Croatian by Allen Milcic

( Original Croatian: )