The Life of Mary. Serhii Zhadan

The easiest thing to do in times of war is to hate strangers. The hardest thing is to reach an understanding. Even with your own. But you have to try, otherwise the war will never end. And to reach an understanding, you need to talk. With anyone, in any way, and about anything. The main thing is not to lose humanity, that is, love and attention.

In the poetry collection “The Life of Mary,” Serhii Zhadan talks about the most precious letters and burned bridges, lost places and destroyed cities. He talks in rhymed poems and verlibres, his own and translated words. He talks with his own and strangers, with saints and not so saints, with killed soldiers and living refugees, with Rilke, Milosz, and, of course, with us. To save – if not us, then at least our children.