Vasyl Stus (1938–1985) was one of the most significant Ukrainian poets of the second half of the twentieth century. A poet, translator, literary critic, and journalist, he was prosecuted by the Soviet government for his views on art and politics and died in a Siberian prison. His works have gained fame and popularity since the collapse of the Soviet Union, particularly in the twenty-first century.
Lychakivskiy Cemetery in Lviv, Ukraine / Photo by Jennifer Boyer / Flickr
So many words; they are like crippled ghosts!
They strike, like bullets, far and close by
But always miss the essence of my…