Dmytro Pavlychko: “I am a soldier from Spartan squad”

The name of Dmytro Pavlychko doesn’t require any long announcements. For long time his works have been included into the school program in literature as well as he is acknowledged to be a classical author. Many people know his work “2 colors”, but not many have heard about his present activity, while it remains as rich as during his past times. Just a few days ago, before the 85th poets’ anniversary, his new book was published that combines civic lyrics dealing with current political events and the latest publicism. On this occasion, we decided to talk about the hero of the day and dedicate him this story.

Dmitry V. Pavlichko born in Stopchativ, Ivano-Frankivsk region in a peasant family. At the end of the war he entered infantry detachment for the Ukrainian Rebel Army, where he stayed for only three months, but it was enough to get imprisonment by NKVD for a long term. After leaving prison, he studied at the Faculty of Philology in Lviv University named after Ivan Franko. After graduation he worked in the magazine "Octyabr", and moved to Kyiv – to the Dovzhenko studio, later he became Secretary of USSR Writers’ Union and editor of "Vsesvit". He said that political career was planned since beginning and this was the major reason moving to Kiev.

In the 80th Pavlychko served for the second time in the secretary of Writers Union, there he finds supporters for the organization of the People’s Movement of Ukraine. Starting from 1989 he became a deputy of USSR. Dmytro Pavlychko is one of the co-authors of Act of Independence of Ukraine. From 1995 – 2005 he was ambassador in Slovakia and Poland.

Regardless of political or service activity during his various positions, they have never interfered with the active creative work. Its witness is the score of 10 tomes of his own and translated poetry. In his translation there are published sonnets of Shakespeare, Goethe poetry, Marty, Botev, Baudelaire, Petrarch, Cervantes, Lorca and other classics. During the period from 1953-2008 there were published tens of his poem compilations, several fundamental works of literature and serious political journalism. His books were translated into foreign languages and published in the USA, Spain, UK, Poland, Bulgaria, Portugal, Germany, Romania, Russia, Hungary and other countries.

Now the public activity and the participation in the political life in the country take his most time. From his last publishing we can note “Symbol viry”, “Miy Kin’” and his last published book “Poems from Maidan.” The author says that the last work is his biggest pride. This is a kind of diary notes, a poetical chronic of latest events that happened in Kiev during the Revolution, where the international society has entitles as “revolution of honor” For the poet it is symbolic that his youth experience is repeated at the present time. In one of his poems he proves again proudly: "I am with Dmitry Pavlichko from Stopchatova, I am a soldier from Spartan squad".