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Brazilian Poet of Ukrainian Descent UKRAINIAN PRINCESSES ON HUNG ARIA’S THRONE In the previous issue of OUR LIFE, the U krainian historian Natal i a Vasylenko-Polonska gave an interesting outline of the life of Princess Eufem ia, daugh te r of the U krainian Prince Vo- lodymyr Monomakh, renowned for his wise rule, and m ighty kingdom. In his tim e Kiev was one of the most admired cities of Europe. The young princess was m ar ried in 1112 A.D. to th e widower Koloman, king of Hungaria. The m arriage was unhappy; maybe the difference in age or m entality of the spouses was the reason. A year later, in 1113, Queen Eufem ia returned to Kiev, and there gave birth to a son, who was not recognized by his father. There is no fu rth er men tion of the princess, in the chro nicles of the time, until her name appears later in the headlines of the annals, when her son Bo ris claimed himself rightful heir to the throne of Hungary, after his fath er’s death. A bitter struggle insued in which Boris’ claim was supported by various European powers. In the m idst of this strife princess Eufem ia died, in 1139. Prince Boris, her son, m ar ried to a Byzantinian princess, had good prospects of succeding to the throne. But the Hungarian king, Geyza П, who then reign ed in 1146, him self m arried an Ukrainian princess, th e young Eufrosinia from Kiev. It is very probable th a t this m arriage crossed Boris’ plans. One cannot guess how affairs would have ended had not Boris died shortly after th at. Thus the two U krainian prin cesses m et sim ilar, uneven fates. Queen Eufrosinia, however, was much more fortunate in Hunga ria. Although 16 years old when m arried, she exercised a strong influence on her husbandis court. The old culture of Ukraine, the language and th e literature re ceived through her much support in this country. Throughout the world the work of m any talented people of U krainian descent is now appear ing. While the parents have gone through th e process of becoming orientated to th eir new envir onment, th eir children are deep ly imbued w ith everything in their native land, yet never for getting, for a moment, th eir past heritage. Recently a new one achieved a place on the literary horizon. In Curitiba, the capital of P ar ana, Brazil, a volume of poetry, entitled “A Sombra No Rio” (Shadow on the River) was pub lished by Helen Kolody, the daughter of Ukrainian parents. Helen was born amid the ex otic beauty and terro r of Brazi lian forests. H er parents are fa r mers, who im m igrated there, at the tu rn of the century. Two things lit the flame th a t burns in the soul of this dream ing child: the great trek, and settle m ent of her parents, and the voice of the Brazilian forests speaking a known language, to her listening and understanding ear. Also, w ith quiet joy, she lis tened to the long-ago songs of Ukraine, th a t her m other sang. W hen she began to study, then it was th a t the maze of dreams of the forest, and Ukraine be gan to assum e reality in her poems. Even in her young school years she wrote poems, which were read before her school m ates, and admired. In 1941, while still a teacher, her first volume “Paisagem Interior” (In terior Landscape) was published in Rio de Janeiro. The volume “Musica Subm ersa” (Submerged Music) for which she received an aw ard and then a th ird “A Sombra No Rio” (Shadow on the River) followed. Still, although on the verge of success, as a Brazilian poet, she had another promise to fulfill: her fath er’s desire to make U krainian poetry known. Soon an opportunity to do this presented itself, when she m et Vera Vovk, another pen en thusiast. Vera Vovk, who was then liv ing in Rio, was working on an anthology of Ukrainian literat ure, translated into Portuguese. The task was trem endous, and she asked Helen to join her in her efforts. Together they fin ally brought out the anthology in 1959. Presently, Helen Kolody is a school supervisor in th e Parana district of Brazil, where she con tinues to express her deep love for her Brazilian homeland in the Portuguese language, and to translate the best examples of Ukrainian poetry. L. B. Helen Kolody WARNING It is noon in my life. An unexpected messenger Comes to warn to hurry the work, As though night were near. Wind of the night it is still early ! . . . and I did not even plow the agrestial land. * THE SHADOW IN THE RIVER I note the passing of tim e For now my imm utable soul Projects into th e current, Fugitive from the days of life, The quiet shadow of the eternal. Into this dualism I pass and rem ain I pass into these w aters Tormented by the roughness; Enslaved within the limit, Not knowing anything About th eir trajectory. I pass . . . and rem ain! I stay in th is shadow Of immense contour, Perturbed by the current. Yet shadow of th e “I” immobile, T hat knows the direction To the beyond of the days. Translated by Marianna Wakulowska 16 НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ — ЧЕРВЕНЬ, 1961 Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
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