1/2 Hello from Odesa, Ukraine, friends. An intense 24hours here, ranging from sleepless night of bombardments to a wondrous meeting of poetry with kids at our Poetry Studio (poemsnotbombs.org) here in Odesa.

✨COVER REVEAL!✨ Poetry in translation collection LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET GO TO WAR by acclaimed Ukrainian writer Lesyk Panasiuk, translated by National Book Award finalist poet Ilya Kaminsky (@ilyakaminsky.bsky.social) and Katie Ferris is available January 2026. 🔗 Preorder link in bio!

Friends, I will be taking time away from social media for a while. Be well. Vacation Today I cannot receive you desperation, disappointment, tough legions of death. Come by some other time, never, and leave gallantly your business cards. Emil Botta, Tr. from Romanian by Liviu Georgesc

When our government is asking to spend millions of dollars on the unnecessary wall instead of very necessary health care plans, these words should be our rallying cry: "Move disability from the realm of medicine into that of political minorities" --Rosemarie Garland-Thomson

I went to college in 1997. My mother was a widow, a refugee, and couldn’t help me pay for it. There is no way I would be able to afford college if it was 2025 & the bill US Congress just passed was the law of the land. There are millions of people like me. What a shame.

Everyone is tired of endless images of violence—but if I don’t post this, who will? Since you won’t find it in most Western news: Russia attacked Odesa again, yet another assault this week. “A court martial of a city,” a friend calls it.

“ Write it. Write. In ordinary ink on ordinary paper: they were given no food, they all died of hunger. "All. How many? It's a big meadow….” Szymborska wrote this after WW2. What changed? Starving people is a war crime. Starving people is a war crime. t.co/9Elc3lTWud

Killing people in food lines is a war crime.

Four words, and already we are in Kafka Territory: "Hey You! Papers, please?"

Overheard: "Soon, bored with their i-phones, i-pods and other forms of "mini me" which they see as mirrors, and not forms of surveillance -- they will udnerstand: t o remember is to betray a regime built on forgetting. Memory itself becomes a form of rebellion."

overheard: "In a life-time of a regime, a moment arrives when vulgarity isn’t a personal failing — it’s a state policy. Kitsch is armor against ethics; it’s collective anesthesia, pumped through every glowing screen and marching chant.

Our Kids Poetry Studio in Odesa is in second year and kids, many of whom are refugees of war, are writing poems. If you read Ukrainian, here is the article: vo.od.ua/rubrics/kult... If you read English, here is a link: poemsnotbombs.org. Please consider support this work.

Yesterday, Russia unleashed the biggest drone bombardment on Ukraine since war. People died. Meanwhile in Odesa, Ukraine, kids who are refugees of war continue to meet at the poetry studio and write poems—despite attacks on the city. Please support: poemsnotbombs.org

Overheard: “—This isn’t a time for decent people.” “—When is?”

"Pain and suffering are a kind of currency passed from hand to hand until they reach someone who receives them but does not pass them on." --Simone Weil

A writing prompt to distract you for a few minutes from the sadness of what we see around us: “Give to each emotion a personality, to each state of mind a soul” — Pessoa, 1931

Friends: Katie & I were a part of a team working on a documentary about Viktor, deaf man in war zone in Ukraine. And now you have a chance to see it in NYC & speak to Viktor himself, who will visit from Ukraine: Sun., May 4 4:30 pm | LeFrak Theater at the American Museum of Natural History

“We knew the war would come. Still, it caught us unprepared.” —Szymborska (from “The End and the Beginning”)

"In our former lives, we have all been earth, stone, dew, wind, fire, moss, tree, insect, fish, turtle, bird and mammal" --Thich Nhat Hanh (quoting the Buddha)

Orban, Putin, Erdogan….sounds familiar? Just saying:

Where do songs come from? From grief too great to banish —Heine

"When we are a thousand miles away from poetry, we still participate in it by that sudden need to scream—the last stage of lyricism." --Emil Cioran

It’s over a 100 years after the great Jewish crusader for free speech, Emma Goldman, was deported from USA for her speaking out. Yet history repeats itself. People shouldn’t be deported for speaking out. People shouldn’t be deported for speaking out. We mustn’t stay silent.

1/2 While Trump just stopped all help to Ukraine—Putin’s army attacked Odesa tonight. There are casualties and thousands are sitting without electricity or heat in freezing weather. This is happening right now.

Good afternoon, sister, how is it In heaven? Quiet, yes? Without fear and night. We’re In the basement, talking Of you, sister. From a poem by Maryna, 14, written for a children's poetry project run by Ukrainian poet @ilyakaminsky.bsky.social. You can donate here poemsnotbombs.org #Ukraine

Apropos of *gestures wildly*... I'm prouder than ever to be publishing this important work by Lesyk Panasiuk, who is actively deployed in Ukraine. This bilingual edition of Lesyk's poetry is translated by Katie Farris & @ilyakaminsky.bsky.social. 🇺🇦

1/4

1/3

While Trump is expressing his admiration for Putin—Putin’s army just bombed a children’s hospital in Odesa, Ukraine.

Friends & beloveds are worried abt what’s coming, from detentions to disruption of healthcare to denial of rights. Friends abroad are terrified too Know you are not alone. We are here for you—in any way we can Here is a link to a poem I go to when lost: www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48501/...

In case this is of use for friends in Los Angeles area:

Overheard: A bookish 7 year old arrives in the town library and standing on his toes demands to check out the book called "Ibid." which, he says loudly, "is cited by all kinds of primary sources" and his little fist lands on the library counter in satisfaction.

Overheard: Tragedy of civilization is its inability to accept that at the end of the day, kindness is more important than justice. * Anna Swir tr by Milosz:

Maria Wisława Anna Szymborska would be 101 years young this year, and younger in spirit. It’s been a tough year, if you need a holiday break, here is a 10 day book club I did on her work— all free, courtesy of The Public Space: apublicspace.org/aps-together...

Sarabande will publish Katie’s and my translations of Lesyk’s powerful poems about life in Bucha, Ukraine during Russian invasion. It’s available for pre-order now on their website:

In the shape of a human body I am visiting the earth; The trees visit In shapes of trees. --Malena Morling

“and placed my grief in the mouth of language the only thing that would grieve with me” —Lisel Mueller

Since I thought I'd be dead by now everything I do is fucking perfect --Morgan Parker

There is a voice that doesn't use words. Listen. ― Rumi

“children who guard doorless houses their fleeing parents took the holy picture with them leaving black mark of their prayers on the wall.” --Venus Khoury Ghata (tr. Marilyn Hacker)

Being on socials like X etc is standing in the middle of a crowd and hoping to get mugged only occasionally. But don’t we, as writers, always stand—as still as possible—in the middle of the crowd? B/c new words are bird in crowds. New rhythms. Somewhere between shouts: awe lurks, astonishment.

I saw you, and poems came back to me. --Yannis Ritsos

Friends in Boston, if you have a free evening and would like to hear some poems: I will be reading some new poems and translations of my own as well as honoring the memory of Jean Valentine and reading work from her New & Selected Poems: libcal.library.harvard.edu/event/13157377

Although Odesa, Ukraine was attacked multiple times this month & there are ongoing issues w/ electricity & heat—Poetry Studio for Kids continues its work —you can find more information at: www.poemsnotbombs.org