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“НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, БЕРЕЗЕНЬ 2014 WWW. UNWLA.ORG 17 Shevchenko on the Barricades by Olesia Wallo In a recent question-and-answer exchange with an audience, Ukrainian writer Oksana Za - buzh ko was asked: “What would Shevchenko be doing if he were on the Maidan?” Instead of giving a somewhat evasive answer, Zabuzhko could have stated the obvious truth: Shevchenko is already there. Since the beginning of the protests in Ukraine, Taras Shevchen ko’s words and images of him have accompanied the life and struggle on the Euromaidan, and this fact cannot be explained o n- ly by the approaching Bicentennial of Shev chenko’s birth. Everything for what Shevchenko stood as a Ukrainian poet, artist, intellectual, and patriot has such a resonance with the most recent events in Kyiv that it would be more shocking not to find him there. That is why one can see images of Shevchenko painted on the walls, posters, pain t- ings, and even self- defense units’ shields around the Independence Square; in many of them, Shevchenko is portrayed as one of the protesters — wearing a distinctive self- defense forces’ kerchief or bearing a tire over his shoulder, as if on his way to feed one of the many fires that burned around the Maidan. After the devastating day of February 20th, when Maidan lost close to a hundred of its heroes to the bullets of Yanukovych’s snipers, Shevchenko’s statue in Riv ne was in mourning, together with the rest of the country. Photographs from this city showed the stone Shevchenko hol d- ing a blue -and -yellow flag with a black ribbon in his hand... True to Maidan’s latest and most heart - breaking slogan, “Heroes do not die,” Shevchenko is very much alive among his people. So are his eerily prophetic poetic words. Most recently, when I watched Ukrainian journalists’ reports of what they found in Yanukovych’s luxurious, but now abandoned, residence, I could not help but think o f Shevchenko’s admonitions in his celebrated “My Friendly Epistle to the Dead, the Living, and Those Yet Unborn...” Alas, Yanukovych did not learn from Shevchenko’s poetry— but we still can! Men stand and trade their mutual chains And barter truth for filthy gains, Committing shame against the Lord By harnessing for black reward People in yokes and sowing evil In fields commissioned by the Devil... And what will sprout? You soon will see What kind of harvest there will be! Come to your senses, ruthless ones, O stupid children, Folly's sons! And bring that peaceful paradise, Your own Ukraine, before your eyes; Then let your heart, in love sincere, Embrace her mighty ruin here! Break then your chains, in love unite, Nor seek in foreign lands the sight Of things not even found above, Still less in lands that strangers love... Then in your own house you will see True justice, strength, and liberty! Taras Shevchenko December 14, 1845 Translated by C. H. Andrusyshen & W. Kirkconnell Cont. from p. 4 never been so many powerful prayers lifted up to God at one time! During these days many a pr o- tester turned to God in a real and sincere way... Millions of Ukrainians prayed together in churc h- es, on the squares, and in their homes for the f u- ture of Ukraine! While the activists all over Ukraine e n- dured the cold and humiliations, their “guara n- tor” took no notice; instead, he traveled to Russia to attend the Olympic games and continued to deceive European politicians with his rhetoric─all the while giving his blessing to his intimidated vassals to commit crimes against the protesters. It ended in horrific bloodshed both in the capital and in other areas of Ukraine: so many wounded, so many killed! And the Heavens finally opened ─on the eve of the three months’ anniversary God gave the people strength, courage, brotherly unity and wisdom, and to many of those who defended the infamous president, He gave the ability to see the truth. The whole world saw the light of Ukraine’s victory! Today, when we say goodbye to the heroes of Ukraine who laid down their lives, we neither see nor hear the one who wielded so much power only days ago... Our task today is to find the now former president and make sure all of his actions receive a just judgment. And may God protect all of us from ever seeing another such “guarantor” of people’s rights and well -being! Lidia Kupchyk (Translated by O. Wallo)
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