Fallen Ukrainian Poets Honored Feb. 24 on Anniversary of Russian Invasion

WSU Libraries will host “As Long as a Writer is Read, They’re Alive” from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, in the Terrell Library atrium in observance of the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The event will honor fallen Ukrainian poets who have died since 2022. Professor and poet Colin Criss of the WSU Honors College will provide opening remarks, followed by readings in Ukrainian and English.

Readings will include poet Maksym Kryvstov, whose poem written shortly before his death inspired the cover art of the Lost Horse Press Poetry Series title A Ukrainian Dictionary of War, which is distributed by WSU Press. Titles from Lost Horse Press’s dual-language Ukrainian Poetry Series will be available for purchase at the event.

Ukraine has lost over 239 literary figures since 2014. An article from PEN America highlights two additional poets whose works will be honored at the event: Victoria Amelina, whose posthumously published nonfiction book Looking at Women Looking at War documented war crimes by Russian forces; and Volodymyr Vakulenko, whose buried diary was saved by Amelina and posthumously published as I Am Transforming: A Diary of Occupation.

For more about the observance, email Gabriella Reznowski, WSU’s business and economics librarian.