On Saturday, November 1, the War Museum hosted a musical and poetic evening entitled “Poetics of War.” The event was dedicated to the Week of the Ukrainian Language and Literature. For the first time, the Museum independently gathered poets, bards, and professional musicians on one stage to speak about the russian–Ukrainian war through the language of poetry and music, to highlight the beauty and greatness of the Ukrainian language, and to show how war influences art – and how art, in turn, influences war.
The poets who performed included: Polina Shyshlevska, Yuliia Kholod, Asia Eyrena, Valerii Kramarenko, Olia Dubrivuk, Ira Spiridonova, and Oleksandr Lysenko. The musical magic of the evening was created by: the performer “Nastunia” (Anastasiia Nykytiuk), Serhii Granss, Artur Kruk (soloist of the band “Zhraya”), pianist Nataliia Vorobiova, and the quartet “Fables, Poems, Prose” from the “Between Three Columns” Theater.
The event was moderated by the Museum’s senior researcher, Olha Vorobei.
Poet Iryna Spiridonova dedicated her final poem to Dmytro Kotsiubailo (“Da Vinci”), who gave his life for the freedom of his Homeland and, by coincidence, would have celebrated his 30th birthday on that very day.
Poet Olia Dubrivuk recited her poem “Vovchansk.” On October 27, this very poem brought her a second victory at the Hlib Babich Memorial War Poetry Competition, which had more than 2,000 participants.
Poet Asia Eirena shared her personal stories of loss in this war. In 2022, her grandparents’ house was burned down by the occupiers, and a month later they were shot in a “green corridor.” The artist dedicated her first two poems to these horrific events. Her final poem, “Comfort,” was dedicated to her husband, a serviceman.
Yuliia Kholod gave a heartfelt reading of a poem about “two little birds” – women waiting for a message from their loved ones on WhatsApp – and shared her own story of loss.
During the poets’ readings, the musical atmosphere of the evening was created by pianist and composer Nataliia Vorobiova, who has been teaching piano for nearly twenty years. Since the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion, Nataliia has been conducting music therapy sessions for internally displaced people and performing in “Stand with Ukraine” concerts.
Polina Shyshlevska, organizer of the “Ursus Poetry” readings, presented her own poetry written during her refugee stay in Poland at the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Valerii Kramarenko, civic activist and poet, honored the memory of fallen soldiers with his poem. It was dedicated to his friend Pavlo Petrychenko – public activist and sergeant of the 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade. The defender was killed on April 15, 2024, near Avdiivka while performing a combat mission.
A true revelation of the evening was the performance of Dr. Oleksandr Lysenko, historian and War Museum researcher. Lysenko has been writing poetry since his student days, but it was during the “Poetics of War” evening that audiences had the opportunity to hear his work for the first time.
Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist “Nastunia” performed two of her songs. The poet and musician shared how russia’s attack on Ukraine has deeply affected her creativity.
Musician Serhii Granss spoke about creating his music album “Shadows of War.” He composed all eight songs after russian troops invaded his native Chernihiv region.
Artur Kruk, soloist of the band “Zhraya”, performed the song “Steppe” to the poem of his fallen friend, combat medic and poet Ihor Mysiak, and the song “The Land of Svaroh” based on a poem by the renowned Ukrainian poet Vasyl Stus. Artur urged the audience to carry the words of those who can no longer speak for themselves.
The culmination of the evening was the performance by the musician-actors of the “Between Three Columns” Theater. They presented their experimental project “Fables, Poems, Prose.” Their unusual renditions of comedic fables and poems by well-known Ukrainian authors captivated the audience. The emotional interpretation of Lina Kostenko’s “Wings” and Taras Shevchenko’s “It does not touch me, not a whit” became a symbolic conclusion to the museum event.
