taras

this is taras shevchenko. perhaps the most famous of ukraine's literary sons and artists, and born here in cherkassy oblast (region), he is a symbol of 'ukrainian-ness' as distinct from a soviet/russian/slavic identity. his thoughts on ukrainian national identity were diluted, if not erased, during the soviet period, only for a resurgence of memorialism to take place after the fall - statues erected, streets renamed in honour of shevchenko, symbolising the rebirth of a ukraine free, or so they thought, to fulfil it's own destiny.

"and perhaps quietly after the years
my thoughts embroidered by tears
will reach ukraine
sometime? and fall,
like dew, over the land,
they will quietly fall
over a sincere young heart!"

i think he is still waiting.