Meet Ivan Franko

Source: http://www.franko.lviv.ua/ifranko/franko_eng.html

The Ukraine has been in the news lately, but not necessarily for the best of reasons. It might be time to take a look behind the wall of political barbarity; to cross the politically pointed barbed wire of local and international perceptions and interpretations and focus on aspects of Ukrainian culture that we are unfamiliar with. In an earlier post, I wrote about the famous Ukrainian poet Taras Schevchenko. Now it is time to become acquainted with Ivan Franko (1856-1916). Below is his poem
"Semper Tiro." Enjoy!



                             SEMPER TIRO

Man's life is brief, but what art infinite
It takes to live it as creative task!
At first it seems as though 'twere but to flit
In magic dreams, in fantasies to bask.
But soon it grows to bounds unknown before,
Demands thy hopes, begins thy soul to ask,
Takes all thy powers, and still cries out for more.

Then, with the fruitage of thy mind and heart,
Thou standest as before some deity.
To honor her thou dost thy blood impart,
Thy nervous force, thy brain's capacity,
As to a goddess that must be adored,
And feelest like a slave, no longer free,
While in thy heart thou say'st: "I will be lord!"

Believe it not! Deceptive is the Muse.
The goddess will suck out thine "I" to use
It as a vessel for her sportive play;
She'll drain thy soul and then cast it away.
Heed not the strains thou hearest from her lyre:
"As master, thou upon men's hearts shalt play,
And millions move with thy poetic fire."

Believe it not! If thou indeed must sing,
If poesy within thee is supreme,
Serve thou the goddess without wavering,
But to rule over her thou must not dream.
Let thy song at the feast of life ring free
And unconstrained. Know thou but this one thing:
The poet always must a learner be. 

To learn more about Ivan Franko visit this website:  http://www.franko.lviv.ua/ifranko/life_of_ivan_franko.htm