National Hymn - Ivan Franko

[Perun]

Here's a great poem by Ivan Franko that pretty much outlines my basic view of Ukraine's place in the world.

http://www.franko.lviv.ua/ifranko/english/ukraine.htm

NATIONAL HYMN

No longer, no longer should we
The Russian or Pole meekly serve!
Ukraine's ancient grievances lie in the past—
Ukraine doth our whole life deserve.

No longer, no longer should we
Shed blood for an alien throne,
Show love for a Tsar who oppresses our kin—
Let love be for Ukraine alone.

No longer, no longer should we
Endure in our homeland the blight
Of quarrels and strife. Let them perish and then
'Neath Ukraine's fair banner unite!

This hour much promises, so
In desperate struggle will we
E'en lay down our lives, if that honor and fame,
Dear Homeland, we may win for thee!

1880

[Perun]

MY LOVE-- Ivan Franko

So lovely is she, for she shines
In loveliness, holy and pure.
Her face is aglow with sweet peace,
Sincerity, love so secure,

So beautiful is she, and yet
Misfortuned, for so much of ill
Hath passed over her that the pain
Is heard in her native songs still.

Yet having known her, can I help
But love her with all of my heart?
The best of my joys I would lose
If ever I should from her part.

And having loved her, can I help
But deep in my heart to engrave
Her glorious image and bear it,
Despite pain and grief, to the grave?

And how can such love contravene
That other love, sacred as this,
For all those who weep and sweat blood,
Enchained in their misery's abyss?

No! he who loves not all his kind,
As God sends to all sun and rain,
He cannot sincerely love thee,
O thou, my beloved Ukraine!

June 27,1880

[Nestor]

The first one - "Ne pora" was known and sung by all Ukrainians in Western Ukraine and in a slightly different version with slightly different (Sovietised) words in Eastern Ukraine.

The Ukrainian composer Liudkevych wrote a symphonic poem using this melody and called he piece "Kameniari" - The Highway men (obviously in relation to Ivan Franko and his poem by the same name). It was dedicated to the 1905 Revolution and was played on the radio constantly on the holiday in Ukraine.

So all you heard was - "Ne pora ne pora" with a final hymn and statement of the full piece at the end. Amazing music, and interesting how it was constantly being translated by radio in Soviet times making it one thing for Patriotic Ukrainians and another to Soviet aparatchiks.

[Nestor]

Franko could write. My sister has a 50 volume collection of his works and that is niot verything because a stack of stuff was not included by the Russian censors.