Ukrainian Poet Finds Voice in Haiku Amidst War, Gains Japanese Acclaim

In Poltava, Ukraine, amidst the constant threat of Russian drone attacks, 27-year-old poet Vladislava Simonova finds solace and expression in haiku. Though her work is celebrated in Japan, she remains largely unknown in her war-torn homeland. Simonova, with her distinctive pink hair and vibrant attire, lives near a trolleybus depot, a site that has faced Russian strikes.

"I never thought that I would be writing about war," Simonova told AFP, her words punctuated by the distant explosion of a drone. She finds that "tiny details can convey the tragedy of this great war much better than perhaps dozens of reports." Her apartment shelves hold a collection of contemporary Ukrainian poets, Japanese teapots, religious icons, and a figurine of Phoebe Buffay, a stark contrast to the realities of conflict.

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I never thought that I would be writing about war. With time, I somehow came to realize that ... tiny details can convey the tragedy of this great war much better than perhaps dozens of reports.

Simonova discovered haiku, the traditional Japanese three-line poem, in 2013. She spent years studying Japanese masters before writing over 600 of her own. Her poems, like "He walks so proudly, On soft apricot petals This plump little cat," capture fleeting moments. However, the invasion has infused her work with new urgency. From an underground shelter in Kharkiv, she wrote poems such as "Instead of a storm -- The rumbling of explosions. Springtime has arrived."

Her talent gained international recognition when she won a competition organized by a Japanese foundation in 2018. In March 2022, a written interview she gave from her shelter led to contact with renowned Japanese poet Madoka Mayuzumi. Mayuzumi praised Simonova's "deep understanding" of haiku's essence, noting how "Even in the midst of war, she gazes up at the moon and stars and admires flowers... her haiku reflect a communion with nature." Mayuzumi added that despite the somber themes, Simonova's work possesses "a sense of optimism."

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Even in the midst of war, she gazes up at the moon and stars and admires flowers... her haiku reflect a communion with nature. Despite the themes that tend to be sombre, her work possesses a sense of optimism.