This morning, an outstanding Ukrainian poet, public figure and the first chairman of the People’s Movement of Ukraine Ivan Drach have died. The death found a writer in Feofaniya, the author’s will was to be buried in Telizhenci, his village of origin, next to his son’s grave. Among the most famous collections of the poet “The Sunflower”, “The Kyvian Sky”, “To the Sources” and others. More details – in reactions from DUMKA.
The first who reported on the poet’s death was film critic Serhiyy Trymbach. According to the author of the post, just yesterday he was talking to deceased poet’s wife. Back then there still was some hope, but the author left us.
The writer and publisher Ivan Malkovich called Ivan Drach one of the most prominent Ukrainian poets of the last century, an acknowledged leader of the “Shistdesyatnyky”. According to him Drach, with the inspiration of the juggler, could sent to one poetic orb a golden onion as well as theory of relativity and corrective pants. By the way, the last collection of poet’s works came out of Malkovich’s publishing house. It was called “A black lion has walked out of the radio”.
Vasyl Makhno, a writer and translator, named Drach “Sunflower of Ukrainian Poetry”. Also, the author shared his own verses devoted to Drach.
Diplomat Markiyan Lubkivsky, in his post, recalled his dad, who was friends with deceased writer. He added that every year, there are less and less of great Ukrainians.
Publisher and writer Oleksandr Afonin admitted that Drach’s death is indeed a painful and heavy loss and this world is left by the brightest. The publisher himself called the author “Uncle Ivan”.
Politician Andriy Illenko also told that his father was friends with Ivan Drach, because together they were making a film “A Well for the Thirsty”. Among all conversations with writer, according to Illenko, the most fascinating stories were about joint trips to America, film shows in San Francisco and borsch at Manhattan.
About his acquaintance with the prominent Ukrainian author also spoke MP Oleh Lyashko. Back in 1990, Lyashko, as a Journalist, interviewed Drach, and every communication with him was a well of wisdom, aqua vita and magic of the words.
The head of the State agency of Ukraine for movie, Pylyp Illenko recalled that many eminent films were based on Drach’s scenarios. Among them such masterpieces as: “A Well for the Thirsty”, “The Stone Cross” and “The lost Letter”. Moreover, the poet could turn even a small telephone conversation into a small literary masterpiece.
Painter and director of the Odessa Art Museum, Oleksandr Roytburd said that, in his childhood, the works of Ivan Drach showed him that it is possible to write modernist urban poetry in Ukrainian language. The works of this author were a starting point for Roitburd’s interest in contemporary Ukrainian literature. He read and bought all of Drach books and knew them by heart
Reactions were collected by Stepan Koza
