Stealing his identity – v2 #TarasShevchenko

His core, his essence,
imprisoned, cut off, silenced,
stealing his identity, cast into exile,
no longer able to use his gifts, his talents,
to write about his homeland, to conjure Ukraine…
 
The Tsar’s pique, a weapon, precise, a knife,
his sentence was perfect, the most awful crime,
no longer expressing his love, his loyalty to Ukraine,
the words he offered so freely, naturally, from his heart,
his love for her a cruel sentence, a cross to bear, so heavy…
 
I hear his inner voice, his internal prayers, repeating,
repeating words in his heart to remember, to hold fast to,
what whispers there must have been in his spirit, his mind,
his resistance, his courage, his legacy, what they hold onto,
the same fight they have being silenced, denied the right to exist,
stealing their identity, history, culture, but he will never break them…

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Edited December 8, 2024
Stealing his identity – v2
 
December 3, 2024
Stealing his identity
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/12/stealing-his-identity.html
Edited October 30, 2024
A death sentence – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/a-death-sentence-v2.html
About the 10-year prison sentence against
Taras Shevchenko, which included the barring
from any writing or sketches, by the Tsar himself…
&
Written and posted October 3, 2024
a loving tribute
typed October 15, 2024
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/a-loving-tribute_24.html
after poem, “a loving tribute”,
based on the poem, “To the Eternal Memory
of Kotlarevsky”, written in 1838, before Kobzar,
published in the almanac, “Swallow”
by Taras Shevchenko
&
Written and posted October 3, 2024
Tales of Ukraina
typed October 15, 2024
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/tales-of-ukraina_24.html
after poem, “Tales of Ukraina”,
based on the poem, “Prelude” of “The Haydamaki”
by Taras Shevchenko
&
Edited and posted October 3, 2024
I sing what thou hast whispered – v2
typed October 15, 2024
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/i-sing-what-thou-hast-whispered-v2.html
after poem, “I sing what thou hast whispered – v2”,
based on the poem, “Prelude” of “The Haydamaki”
by Taras Shevchenko
&
Written and posted October 3, 2024
A word of caution
typed October 15, 2024
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/a-word-of-caution_24.html
after poem, “A word of caution”,
based on the poem, “Katerina”
by Taras Shevchenko
and John 4: 5-30 (woman at the well)
&
Written and posted October 2, 2024
my black-haired maiden
typed October 15, 2024
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/my-black-haired-maiden_24.html
after poem, “my black-haired maiden”,
based on the poem, “Katerina”
by Taras Shevchenko
&
Written and posted September 29, 2024
A voice against injustice
typed October 15, 2024
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/10/a-voice-against-injustice.html
Poems about Ukraine and the book, The Poet of Ukraine,
about the life and poetry of the Bard of Ukraine, Taras Shevchenko,
which I read after Hurricane Helene,
from 9/29/2024 to 10/15/24
 
All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 202 2022, 2023, and 2024. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
 
poetry, Ukraine, God, prayer, war, terror, genocide, Russia, peace, victory, Taras Shevchenko, Ukrainian, freedom, independence, history, glory, pain, serfdom, muse, prison,
 
#poetry #Ukraine #God #prayer #war #terror #genocide #Russia #peace #victory #TarasShevchenko #Taras #Shevchenko #muse #Ukrainian #glory #serfdom #prison #freedom #independence #history
 
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This poem, “Stealing his identity”, in truth is a victory song, about Shevchenko’s triumph over the Tsar’s worst punishment, losing his ability to draw or write for the 10 years he was imprisoned as a soldier in Siberia. He was imprisoned and cut off from human contact and from that which gave him meaning and purpose.
 
But the Tsar couldn’t take who Shevchenko was, who he is, how powerful his legacy is to this day. Shevchenko lost his ability to share externally, but his inner voice was strong. He would go into himself and be in Ukraine, he could fly to her. My own first poem was written long after it was whispers in my mind. How many words did he hold as treasure while he was imprisoned? He maintained his creativity while in the most extreme conditions and his words flower, perhaps in a somber voice, after he was released.
 
And that struggle, itself, give so much power and reverence to the readers of his works, his countrymen and others, because of what his loyalty, his faithfulness cost him. He persevered, and so do the people of Ukraine in this moment. Ukrainians today are forced to endure great hardships while holding onto identity and hope, their common belief in the history and future of Ukraine.