Friends!

Friends! The famous Ukrainian poet Lina Kostenko celebrates her birthday today.

She was born on the 19th of March, 1930 in the picturesque town of Rzhyshchiv in the Kiev region in a family of teachers. Subsequently, the family moved to Kiev, where Lina finished school, after which she entered the Kiev Pedagogical Institute. Subsequently, Lina Kostenko continued her studies at the Moscow Literary Institute named after Gorky.

Kostenko became one of the most influential Ukrainian poetess of the "sixties" era. The first collection of her works was published in 1957, it was called "Rays of the Earth". Her word was strong and atypical. But also, this could not remain without the attention of the government. Because of her «apolitical view» they stopped shooting the film "Dear Winds", to which Lina Kostenko wrote the script. In 1963, her book of poems "Star Integral" was simply banned from print, and "Prince's Hill" - in 1972 from the layout.

For many years, her works were banned. But all this time she continued to be read in samizdat. Therefore, when the collection "Over the banks of the eternal river" was published, it was received very warmly. Subsequently, a famous novel was published in the verses "Marusiya Churai", for which Lina Kostenko in 1987 received the State Prize of Ukraine named after Taras Shevchenko.

But only a desperate man could decide to speak in public with her works. This one was the Ukrainian actress Neil Kryukova. She read "Marusya Churai" in the Kyiv Philharmonic, when the police appeared and tried to stop the actress. Lina Kostenko then stood up and slapped the director of the philharmony. She was always strong, honest and fair. It was not just a gesture - it was a symbol of the attitude to the whole system.

Lina Kostenko was always principled. She herself left the Writers' Union, refused of the title of Hero of Ukraine, which President Viktor Yushchenko wanted to give her. He came to her home on her birthday with a reward. But Kostenko did not even look at it. She said: "I do not wear political jewelry."

Friends, let us in this day in comments share the favorite poems of this talented Ukrainian writer. And all together, we will thank her for her invaluable contribution to the development of Ukrainian literature. Long life!