Remember
Oleksandr Oles
1931
When fighting invaders for the right to exist,
Ukraine was living, suffering, and dying,
Sympathy – all it was waiting for,
But Europe was silent.
When bleeding to death in an unequal fight,
And crying its eyes out in anguish,
Ukraine was waiting for help from its friends,
But Europe was silent.
When chained and exhausted and being enslaved,
Wounded Ukraine was screaming in terror,
When even rocks were moved by its pain,
But Europe was silent.
When gathering harvest soaked in blood,
And giving it all to the ruthless tyrant,
Dying from famine, Ukraine lost its voice,
But Europe was silent.
When Ukraine cursed its life, that turned into a grave,
Filled with endless death and violence,
When even the devil was crying in grief,
– Europe was silent.
Lina Kostenko (1930-present) – is a Ukrainian poet, journalist, writer, and leading member of the Sixtiers poetry movement in Ukraine, which was against Soviet totalitarianism and focused on protecting Ukrainian culture and language. Kostenko’s work was not published for many years due to her pro-Ukrainian views and activism. Many members of the Sixtiers movement were arrested, sent to prison camps, and killed. Despite everything, Lina Kostenko continued to write and is considered one of the most prominent Ukrainian poets.