How a dissident poet became Ukraine’s moral compass
Editor's Note: This story is part of the "Hidden Canon" – a special series celebrating Ukrainian classic literature and aiming to bring it to a wider international audience. The series is supported by the Ukrainian Institute. One Christmas Eve night, in a prison camp in the Russian republic of Mordovia, Ukrainian female political prisoners braved the cold to gather near the barbed wire that…
On a cold Christmas Eve night, Ukrainian female political prisoners gathered near the barbed wire separating them from men to sing carols. They paid tribute to poet Vasyl Stus, who had been incarcerated for his outspoken opposition to Soviet rule. Stus's birthday coincided with their gathering. Fellow poet and dissident Iryna Kalynets later recounted how they called out to him as he replied playfully that he had heard "something squeaking beyond the wire."
Stus's response included a poem that paid homage to Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko, who had also faced persecution under Russian rule. Stus's poetry emphasized the importance of Ukraine's cultural rebirth and the sacrifices made by those fighting for Ukrainian sovereignty.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
