In Memory of Vera Sergeyevna Kushnir
“A good name is better than a costly suit, and the day of death than the day of birth…” (Eccl. 7:1).
January 14, 2011 is the memorial day of the world-famous Christian poetess, Vera Sergeyevna Kushnir. It has been 11 years since she was born into eternal life. What has changed? Life on earth continues its course… In vanity, in a hurry, in realized and unfulfilled hopes. She’s gone to her beloved Savior, to heavenly rest. Where there are no tears, no sorrow, no separation. Her poems become songs and continue to live on earth. I never got to meet her in person. Though I always dreamed of it. She lived in Kiev when I was not born yet. Later she came to Kiev again when I was no longer there. I met and fell in love with her through her poems from early childhood. At that time there were no printed collections and I used to copy them by hand into my notebooks. I remember when one brother first gave me her collection “Lines on a White Sheet”. How happy I was then to receive such a precious gift! I saw her picture for the first time. Then I bought: “Earth and Heaven,” “At His Feet,” “Invisible Hands,” “Missionary Women,” and others. Later had a short correspondence with her, in which she forever left for me useful advice and her poetic spirit. Vera Sergeyevna became my favorite poetess.
The depth of humility as well as sincerity of Vera Sergeyevna actually inspires and causes admiration among a thousand people who once encountered her work. An inexhaustible source of God’s power and unwavering faith is found in her. Hard-working, goal-seeking and wisdom-seeking, brought up in an intelligent, noble family, she received such an inexhaustible wealth from her parents, from her mother and from her father. In one of her poems, “Faith,” she writes about how her mother gave her this interesting name that became very much to her liking:
The devil sowed evil with an inflated measure…
And my mother named me Faith,
In the face of liars and hypocrites,
Realizing that she needed a measure of faith,
To look into the eyes of her destiny.
It would seem that with a name like that
I’d be proud to live up to it,
I should be the embodiment of faith,
But I’m just the opposite.
This strong-spirited woman writes simply and openly that she herself is in need of faith, thus awakening her readers to reflection and action. Can one ever be satisfied in faith? Is it possible to consider oneself to have reached the measure? “But without faith it is impossible to please God; for it is necessary that he who comes to God should believe that He is, and that those who seek Him should be rewarded” (Hebrews 11:6).
Vera Sergeyevna’s delicate and lyrical poetry shows her selfless closeness to the Lord and deep devotion to Him. It is not without reason that many musicians found her poems easy to arrange into songs. The songs quickly became beloved by Christians and traveled around the globe. There are many songs written to Vera Sergeyevna’s poems. Remember at least some of them. For example, the song: “I would like to pray, as a pine tree prays at night, with its tops pointing upwards.” Or this one: “You’re as close to me as a shore to the sea, You’re as dear to me as a mother to her children…” Or maybe this one: “Why is there peace in my soul?” They are sung in the subconscious, without thinking, and they easily stick to the heart. Maybe you should be reminded: “In our life, the most beautiful things are not bought at the price of money…” Faith… Faith… Faith… Faith… How every man needs it! “Faith is the realization of things hoped for and the assurance of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Vera Sergeyevna achieved the expected in the world unseen to us. She passed from death into life – endless, bright and blessed.
Once again, I turn over Vera Sergeevna’s collections of poems with gratitude. Scripture says: “Remember your mentors… imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7.) I am amazed at how many of her poems I know by heart. How many times I quote them at different occasions in my life, both to myself and to others. For example, this one:
Between me and the new generation
A thousand miles!
I tell them with excitement
A fairy tale? A story?
These lines sound so true and relevant. It is not for nothing that poets are considered prophets. Do you feel the difference with your children, grandchildren, young people? Yes, yes! A thousand miles! You couldn’t be more accurate. And this poem, so reverent, tender and insightful, I would quote even in my sleep:
We hear a voice. It’s softer than moss,
It’s lighter than fluff, softer than a sigh.
It whispers softly: This is bad,
And this one do this one, this one need this one…
The poem “To Mother,” perhaps, is one of the best masterpieces dedicated to mothers. It contains so much love, warmth, truth, consolation, pain of impending separation, sadness and joy, respect and reverence for mothers. It is especially dear when one realizes the inevitability of illness, old age and fading.
You’re almost completely gray now.
You’re smaller in stature than I am,
But you’re still my darling
And as before, I am your child.
Vera Sergeyevna’s life is worthy of imitation. To be a poetess is to be a servant of Jesus Christ: submissive, loving, sacrificial, dedicated, gracious and faithful. The poetess’ favorite expression is now a winged one: “God seeks the faithful, and makes them able.” Vera Sergeyevna did not strive for human glory. She gave all glory to Him who became her Redeemer from sin and eternal perdition. She had once asked for faith like a mustard seed.
I ask God in silence, humbly:
Send me faith, just a little bit,
(For the name “Faith” is not given to me for nothing)
Give me the faith of a mustard seed.
But the Lord gave her incomparably more than can be imagined. She became a giant of faith for many generations. Revealing the essence of her work and in a wish for other poets, Vera Sergeyevna wrote the poem “Poets.”
Only if we hold fast to the truth,
Eternal divine truth,
Keep our souls untainted,
Our thoughts free and pure.
The Apostle Paul once exhorted believers in the Son of God, “But let the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may be enriched with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:16) Thanks be to God for Vera Sergeevna, for her good name that glorifies Jesus and faith in Him, and for her new and glorious birth after death. Thanks be to God!
Tatiana Moroz
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