TryGOLD- Free

Dear World
Outlook|January 21, 2025
I wrote everything I could about the war back in 2014-16. It was poetry.
Dear World

Poet, author and translator Maya Dimerli was born in Odessa, Ukraine. She is currently head of the ‘Odessa UNESCO City of Literature’ Office. Dimerli spoke to Vineetha Mokkil about life during wartime and helping others to write while war rages on in Ukraine. Excerpts

You write both poetry and prose. Do you see writing as an act of resistance?

Since poets have a highly developed imagination, it is not necessary to experience what can be easily imagined. And so, as the war moved towards us, it became clear that what was written earlier surprisingly coincided with the impending reality…I have been writing almost nothing about the war lately. I write about things that are important to me and to my fellow citizens, and I do this mainly on Facebook. I also think that for now I can focus on helping others write, helping children write. Last year, together with the poet Ilya Kaminsky (USA)—an Odessa native who, since the full-scale Russian invasion, began to support Odessa writers, museums, wounded defenders and internally displaced persons—we decided to create a poetry competition and literary studio for children. The editor-in-chief of the local newspaper Evening Odessa Oleg Suslov joined us, as did the administration of the centralised library network for children. At first, we positioned ourselves as a competition for Odessans and children who came to Odessa from other Ukrainian cities as refugees. However, a couple of days before the deadline for accepting competition entries, children from outside Odessa began to send us poems. Those cities were subjected to even more powerful shelling than Odessa. We decided to accept everyone.

This story is from the January 21, 2025 edition of Outlook.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the January 21, 2025 edition of Outlook.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM OUTLOOKView All
Nomadland
Outlook

Nomadland

All eyes are on President-elect Donald Trump and his policy on immigration

time-read
5 mins  |
January 21, 2025
Far from Home
Outlook

Far from Home

We have forgotten the plight of Afghans who fled to India, and continue to suffer

time-read
3 mins  |
January 21, 2025
Bang Bang That Awful Sound
Outlook

Bang Bang That Awful Sound

What happens when we listen closely to the soundscape of war?

time-read
5 mins  |
January 21, 2025
Refugee Dilemma
Outlook

Refugee Dilemma

For most Indian-origin Sri Lankan Tamils, who are victims of ethnic conflict and civil war, proving that they are not illegal migrants is a nearly impossible task

time-read
7 mins  |
January 21, 2025
They Poured Fire on Us
Outlook

They Poured Fire on Us

The resilience of refugee women from Sudan, Ethiopia and Yemen in the face of war and displacement is remarkable

time-read
2 mins  |
January 21, 2025
The Sound and the Fury
Outlook

The Sound and the Fury

Iraqi poet, novelist, translator and scholar Sinan Antoon was born and raised in Baghdad.

time-read
3 mins  |
January 21, 2025
The Day I Became a Woman
Outlook

The Day I Became a Woman

In a country where authorities have been directly engaging in the gruesome war against women for decades, artists like Nahid Hassanzadeh stand apart as a voice of dissent–a haunting reminder of the unwavering spirit of the rebellious Iranian women fighting against the Islamic Republic’s violent crackdown.

time-read
5 mins  |
January 21, 2025
The Kite Runner
Outlook

The Kite Runner

The official figure of civilian deaths in Afghanistan is a serious underestimate. It is unlikely that we will ever know the real cost of Afghan lives

time-read
7 mins  |
January 21, 2025
American Patriot
Outlook

American Patriot

Barring a few exceptions, Hollywood movies continue to be gung-ho about the United States' penchant for waging wars across the globe

time-read
5 mins  |
January 21, 2025
The Hunters
Outlook

The Hunters

How can Bangladesh's fractured society, burdened by layers of trauma, begin to heal?

time-read
7 mins  |
January 21, 2025

We use cookies to provide and improve our services. By using our site, you consent to cookies. Learn more