Taras Shevchenko

by keith jeffries

Saturday 27th May 2023 9:48 pm

Taras Shevchenko

A Ukranian poet, patriot and father of Ukranian Literature.

A serf who won his freedom.

The soul of the Ukraine.

Whose statue was recently vandalised by Russian troops.

A freedom fighter who exhorted his people.

With these words.

" And glory to you, dark blue mountains.

Frost and snow protect you.

And to you, great hearted heroes.

God does not forget you.

Struggle on an be triumphant.

God himself will aid you.

At your side fight truth and glory.

Right and holy freedom."

Comments

keith jeffries

Sun 28th May 2023 10:29

Thank you to all who responded to this. I strongly support Uilleam in what he says. Freedom of speech must mean complete freedom and not curtailed speech. Every individual has the right to freedom of speech and expression. As poets we must link arms with other artists and staunchly defend these rights. The alternative is to capitulate to the forces of darkness. May our pens never run dry.
Thank you to one and all.
Keith

Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Sun 28th May 2023 08:12

Thanks Keith.
Whilst the lowered status of Pushkin in the eyes of Ukranians is fully understandable in the current circumstances, Greg's comment touches on a broader issue, ie: that of "iconoclasm" and of protest in general.

I am of the mind that, should for example, an obnoxious holocaust denier be in the process of trying to propagate their views in any given country or town; instead of being "no platformed", they should be invited very publicly and loudly to defend their position by debate in our civic halls and academic institutions.
And instead of toppling statues to say, slave traders in the UK, ie."getting rid of the evidence", we should use their existence to teach our children about the evils which they "celebrate".

Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Sun 28th May 2023 06:46

The bullying totalitarians always aim for the poet, painter, novelist, musician, because our power is that we speak from the heart, to the heart.

Now the thought police are literally censoring us in the UK, forcing us into compelled speech....but oh, how we love the gilded cages that our oppressors build for us, all the while we parrot "freedom, freedom!".

Manish Singh Rajput

Sun 28th May 2023 04:36

What a shameful act by the Russians to have vandalised a statue of such a great person. Being able to write and produce poems now and listen to a great poet's statue being sabotaged hurts and provokes me to a different level.
Well written, Keith.
Thank you for this.

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Taras Shevchenko

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