Borys Khersonsky: Be honest, do not make compromises, read a lot
Borys Khersonsky, a distinguished Ukrainian physician, writer, and translator, was born in Chernivtsi in 1950 and raised in Odesa in a family of doctors. He pursued a career in clinical psychology and psychiatry while simultaneously building a literary career. Despite facing censorship in the USSR, his work gained recognition and has been translated into multiple languages, including Estonian. In May 2024, Khersonsky attended the Tallinn Literary Festival, where he discussed bilingualism, war, and the inspiration behind his writing.
What is the leading theme in your poetry?
With half a century of literary work behind, it is hard to pick the leading one – there are many, but I will: what history and a person in history are; already an elderly one, out of place in their environment, in different countries and different periods. Religious and philosophical themes are also important; I have some intimate poems.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 found the writer and his family at home in Odesa. However, the themes associated with a broader topic of war can also be found in the works written and published before 2022.
How has the war affected your writing, and has it had any impact on the themes of your works in general?
The theme of the war appeared in my works long before the war began; I had a premonition. Perhaps my interest in historical events in the psychology of military operations contributes to this. After a full-scale invasion, I haven't been able to write about anything else for almost a year. The book "Explosive Wave" (part translated into English and Swedish) resulted from this obsession. Later, I felt that I had already said all there was to say, all that I could, and my poems dropped to the level of a diary, a report like "Irvines in the newspaper, in the evening in verse." I haven't written much about war directly lately. However, the emotional perception of tragedy, horror, and pain has been prevalent in my poems recently. The important thing is that I am outside Ukraine, and this also has a specific meaning in my poems – the themes of exile, emigration, and nostalgia are often present.
Borys Khersonsky is one of the most famous Russian-speaking writers in Ukraine. His collections of poems and essays presently include writings in Ukrainian and Russian languages to an equal extent. The writer is sharp and engaging in both instances, with a unique charm and wit.
As a bilingual writer, do you feel that your style differs depending on the language? If so, how exactly?
My Ukrainian poems are more archaic. You can feel the influence of poetry of the 19th century, sometimes - of the 18th. I find the poetry of Hryhoriy Skovoroda attractive, as well as the folk songs of that time. I am a fan of Ukrainian folklore, but I could not call myself an expert. But on my shelves are books of songs of workers, soldiers, family ballads…
How has your clinical psychology and psychiatry work influenced your writing?
Almost in no way. Maybe my interest in a person's mental state and psychological problems allows me to increase the distance between my lyrical hero and me, my personality.
What is the most prominent experience on your creative path?
It is difficult to answer. Perhaps the first publications in the local newspaper? I know this answer is a bit paradoxical and even provocative, but there is some truth.
What was your main impetus to write poetry alongside your medical work?
I started writing poems long before I became a doctor. But in Soviet times, it was impossible to print what I wrote. My first self-published book appeared when I was 56 years old. And this is not out of the ordinary for my generation, for those who could not compromise with the authorities.
How do you manage to find a balance between the two fields of activity?
I don't sleep much. I have enough time to work in two directions. I write at night or before dawn, before starting medical work.
What would it be if you could advise writers and poets starting their creative journey right now?
Be honest, do not make compromises, read a lot. To love not only (sorry for the cliche) yourself in poetry, but mostly - poetry in yourself. Be persistent. Work as a pianist. Practice is important.
The richer the experience, the more significant the explored themes in Borys Khersonsky’s books. They have received wide recognition in Ukraine and abroad over the past 20 years. When asked whether there was anything complicated, not only finding the balance but balancing the professional medical career with a creative one, the author simply stated: “No difficulties.” Khersonsky went through a challenging writing period under the Soviet regime and could not publish his works. Now, with his home country under attack, he advises the young writers to make no compromises, be determined, and love poetry in themselves.