Here is a Fulbright-award-winning comparative lit scholar–Iryna Shuvalova–writing about Ukrainian poetry. I have been watching events in Ukraine (I have friends there); this essay includes some ways poetry and self-expression–and the lively poetry “scene” in Ukraine (not much translated into English)–connect with political events.
“One of the most touching videos from Ukraine’s “Euromaidan” events is the one, in which Serhiy Nigoyan, a member of Ukrainian Armenian community, recites the lines of Taras Shevchenko’s poem “Caucasus”. On January 22, Serhiy was killed by the members of the pro-government armed forces.”
Poetry can be dangerous.
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This country the size of France, squeezed between the European Union in the West and Russia’s…
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ann e michael 
Thank you for the link to Poetry International, a fascinating read on poetry and poets in life and death. The language is stunning, I think, as I imagine meter and rhyme among all those consonants. Of course, I wish the best for your friends. Again, thanks!
Karen
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Yes–all those consonants–and yet, Russian and Ukrainian offer the poet more end-rhyme possibilities than English ever can. I’ve been trying to study the meter/rhythms of the classic poetry forms in those languages, to see if I can mimic them in English. Pretty difficult!! No success yet. Fascinating, though.
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