Taras Shevchenko's poem
Tsykl poeziy «V kazemati»
««Ne kydaj materi»,– kazaly...» /
««Ne kydaj materi»,– kazaly, a ty pokynula, vtekla...»
(««Не кидай матері»,– казали...» /
«Не кидай матері»,– казали, а ти покинула, втекла...)
In a prison cell, 1847.

Translated by Irina Zheleznova.

 

 

Taras Shevchenko's poem
«I mertvy`m, i zhy`vy`m, i nenarozhdenny`m zemlyakam moyim…» /
           "I smerkaye, i svitaye, den` bozhyj mynaye"
(«І мертвим, і живим, і ненарожденним землякам моїм…» /
              "І смеркає, і світає, день божий минає")
Vyunishcha, December 14, 1845.

Translated by Irina Zheleznova.

 

 

 

"“The Caucasus” is remarkably complex in its shifting rhythms and emotional registers. Moving from intimate, lyrical rumination, to grievances against divine and political authority, it employs biting political sarcasm and elevated prophetic ardor. The opening passage evokes the image of the mythical rebel Prometheus, eternally suffering at the claws of a ruler-sent eagle, yet indestructible in his vitality—a symbol of the undying pursuit of goodness, liberty, and humanity. In the sections that follow, the poet turns to the horrors of war and oppression and challenges both God and the world order. Mimicking the “superior” voice of the colonizer, Shevchenko exposes the brutality, avarice, and hypocrisy of Russian imperialism..." (Taras Koznarsky)

 

Taras Shevchenko, "The Caucasus​​"
"Kavkaz" / "Za goramy` gory`, hmaroyu povy`ti...
("Кавказ" / "За горами гори, хмарою повиті...")
Pereyaslav, November 18, 1845.

Translated by Alyssa Dinega Gillespie.

 

 

 

 

WEAR YOUR SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE

WITH TARAS SHEVCHENKO!

Saint Javelin project is a team of volunteers, fundraisers & Ukrainians living in Ukraine and abroad working together to fundraise for Ukrainian initiatives and organizations to support their work for humanitarian, first responder, medical aid and front line defender support.

 

"sands of time run out
and yet they gather sandbags
to protect their poet:
he once shored up their language
against winds of destruction"

(Gabriel Rosenstock)

 

 

 

"Aware of a poet?
Aware of a poet?
A poet of Cossack broods over the land.
Not noting a bullet.
Not noting a bullet.
You see a poet of Cossack in Borodyanka."

(Kurama)

 

"A poet in Kharkiv is standing under bombs.
But a poet in Kharkiv is watching over the world.
Keep silent! Keep silent!
Sirens warn in Kharkiv.
But a poet in Kharkiv is a sign of a word."

(Kurama)