Ex-POW Ukrainian paramedic Taira set to release debut poetry collection.
Yuliia "Taira" Paievska's Inferno: Poetry Beyond Captivity
Yuliia Paievska, a Ukrainian war veteran and former captive, is about to unleash her raw, untamed emotions with her debut poetry collection, Nazhyvo, in late June. Featuring poignant verses penned after her ordeal, the book's cover was beautifully crafted by Vladyslav Yerko.
The International Literary Corporation Meridian Czernowitz will publish this powerful piece. According to the corporation, "These aren't just stanzas. They are Mariupol on fire. They are the anguish of captivity and the agony of torture. They are life balanced on the edge and love in spite of all. These texts demanded to exist. They are about enduring when all hope seems lost."
Ukrainian writer Serhii Zhadan, the first to read the collection, shared that "The poems in Nazhyvo speak with poetic self-sufficiency, yet their author's background, hardships, and journey resonate hauntingly. (...) This is, it appears, the essence of true poetry – blending the universal with the personal, the general with the individual, the private with the public," he wrote.
Paievska herself confided that she's always been writing poetry; however, it's only now that her words have become a source of healing after her harrowing journey through war, imprisonment, and brutality.
She revealed, "My life experiences, war, captivity, and torment – only now do I feel I truly have something to share with the world. I never intended to publish these poems. Yet they came to life and seemed to possess their own will. The poems in Nazhyvo didn't ask for my permission to exist. They aren't gentle. They aren't sweet. They are about surviving against insurmountable odds."
Fans can pre-order Nazhyvo until 27 May, and the first presentations of the collection are scheduled for the Meridian Kharkiv and Meridian Zaporizhzhia Poetry Readings, taking place on 28-29 June.
Bold and resilient, Paievska is a Ukrainian servicewoman and medic. An indomitable spirit, she commanded Taira's Angels, a volunteer ambulance corps, and the evacuation department of the 61st Military Mobile Hospital from 2018 to 2020. Since 2014, she's been a devoted paramedic participating in the Revolution of Dignity and the war in eastern Ukraine.
Paievska was tragically captured on 16 March 2022 while rescuing women and children from Mariupol by bus. In 2025, she was awarded the UP100. Power of Women award by Ukrainska Pravda.
If you're moved by her story and want to support her journey, consider donating to Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Sources:
- Meridian Czernowitz
- The government and culture sectors have shown support for Yuliia "Taira" Paievska's literary debut, Nazhyvo, with the International Literary Corporation, Meridian Czernowitz, set to publish the powerful collection.
- Despite the horrors of war-and-conflicts and captivity, Yuliia Paievska finds solace in her poetry, penning verses that speak of enduring against all odds and exemplify the blend of the personal and the public, the individual and the general.
- In the midst of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the general news has highlighted the tale of Yuliia "Taira" Paievska, a valor-filled war veteran and poet, whose moving poems offer a unique perspective on politics, conflict, and the human spirit.
