Literary classics aren’t always created by the greying elder statesmen and women of the writing world. You know the ones. They’re all wise and wrinkly and impassive, and woe betide the scholar who dares mount an honest critique of their bodies of work.
You see, literary classics are also written by upstart youngsters. These youngsters are full of vitality and creativity. They live fully awake and fully aware during these very difficult times. Nothing escapes their notice and they’re unafraid to share what they really think. They walk among us right now, breathing, smiling and crying, loving and hating, experiencing the full range of their humanity without apology.
This series presents names that you won’t find in textbooks or on Wikipedia, but these are the very youngsters who are creating modern Ukrainian literature right now. Trust us, you will want to check them out because it’s only a matter of time before they become household names. When we go back to these writers in two hundred years, we have no doubt that they’ll be mentioned in the same breath as luminaries such as Taras Shevchenko and Lesya Ukrainka.
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The violin case
black and tiny
reminds of a coffin
a blue amphibious baby
with a sob on its wee lips
the full moon in a shroud trizna
honey locust
poplar fluff through
a mirrored sword
cry with yours get drunk
into the danube – out of grief
like kittens in a pail
afraid of water
summer-ripening papirovka
doneshta kandil
the bottle of bromine
shackled with a ball and chain
the antenna from Donbass transmits
wounds and dust
at the radio-and tv-golgotha
you are grey spear grass
Без назви
Чорний футлярчик
для скрипки
схожий на гріб
синє маля іхтіандрів
у вустоньках схлип
повня у савані тризна
мед саранча
пух із тополі наскрізно
в свічадо меча
плач зі своїми напийся
в дунай – із журби
як кошенята в цеберці
бояться води
з літніх сортів паперівка
донешта кандиль
ядром до литки прикутий
брому бутиль
антена з Донбасу транслює
рани і пил
на радіо- й телеголгофі
ти – сивий ковил
Original poem by VALERIIA SERHIEIEVA
Translation by TETIANA ALEKSINA
© All rights reserved 2024
unbolt me 
A harsh reality brought to verse
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I couldn’t have put it better, Manuel.
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Tati,
It’s good to hear from fresh voices for sure. The world is a wildly dangerous beautiful place.
Thanks, Gary
Gary Avants Forbear Productions * *garyavants66@gmail.com garyavants66@gmail.com
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Hear! Hear!
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Thank you, Tati for translating this for us. Such a moving poem.
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Thank you for reading it, Maria. Translating these poems into English has been very much a joy for Tati!
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Beautiful. Thank you for such an inspiring post.
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And thank you for reading as always, Steve!
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My pleasure. These writings do seem very important.
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They truly are, Steve, especially in light of Putin’s efforts to stamp out Ukrainian culture.
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Outstanding poetry, a gem!
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It’s been really cool to be introduced to such talents from the Ukrainian poet community, that’s for sure!
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Great work in translating it Tati, for us to enjoy and appreciate. Thank you both!
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Beautiful poetry with deep significant thoughts.
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It’s really such a joy to read. Poets of such high calibre!
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Exactly.
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Such a beautiful poem!
Many thanks to Tati for translating it
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And many thanks to you for reading, Luisa!
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You’re most welcome ❣️❣️❣️
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