“The World that Loved Executioners” by Vyacheslav Konoval

Vyacheslav Konoval is a Ukrainian poet whose work is devoted to the most pressing social problems of our time, such as poverty, ecology, relations between the people and the government, and war.

His poems have appeared in many magazines, including Anarchy Anthology Archive, International Poetry Anthology, Literary Waves Publishing, Sparks of Kaliopa, Reach of the Song 2022, Diogenes for Culture Journal, «Scars of my heart from the war», «Poetry for Ukraine», «Rhyming», «La page Blanche», «Impacted», «Military Review», «The Lit», «Allegro», «Innisfree poetry journal», «Antunes Galaxy Poetry», «Ekscentrika», «Mere Inkling», «EgoPhobia», «Fulcrum», «Omnibus», «Lothlorien Poetry Journal», Revista Literaria «Taller Igitur», «Tarot Poetry Journal», «Tiny Seed Literature Journal», «Best American Poetry Blog», «Quilled Ink Review», «Chronograph Poetry Journal», the Appalachian Journal «Dark Horse», «Agape», «Mascara Literary Review», «Gray Sparrow», «ArLJo», «Ekstasis», «The Bloom Litarery Journal», «Novus Litarery Journal», «Lyrical Somerville», «Charleston Poets», «Briefly Zine», «Varied Spirit», «Taos Poetry Journal», «The Skinny Poetry Journal», «Academy of the Heart and Mind» Journal, «ARIEL CHART» International Literary Journal, «Poesia Ultracontemporanea», «New Ulster 124», «Revista Cronopio», «Gotic Nature», «WordCityLit», «TSaunders Pubs», «London Grip New Poetry», «Mill Valley Literary Review», «Zeitglass»,  «The Coin»,  «Coal Literary Journal», «Orenaug Mountain Poetry Journal», «Diamonds in the Rough magazine», «Spy Community Media»,  «Delmarva Rewiev», «Synchronized Chaos Journal»,  «The Horror Zine Journal»,  «The Bosphorus Review»,  «The Cloud Poetry»,  «Redbrick». 

Vyacheslav's poems were translated into Spanish, French, Scottish, Italian, and Polish.

His poems also have been read at meetings of various poetry groups, including Newman Poetry Group, Never Talk Innocence, Voicing Art Poetry Reading for Ukraine, Worcester County Poetry, Brussels Writer's Circle, and Poets Anonymous May Middle-Met, Brett Show by Andrea, the Manx Bard group, Allinghman Art Festival, Versopolis Poetry Expo 2023, poetry readings «Poetry of Struggle and Solidarity», «Poetic Voices», Coal Literary Journal's Eve, presentation at Albert van Abbehuis Fling. 

Vyacheslav's poems were presented at War Art Project.

He is a member of the Federation of Scottish Writers.

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Red and thin tie, which is barely noticeable

on the official’s stomach,

small jacket and European fortune,

trouble, because someone adores

the Russian dollars and the Russian rubles.

Grain in the throat, 

like a trading card,

playing a game, 

it seems that the «players»

fragile the bureaucrats,

their voters chew healthy cereal.

Western leaders love gifts,

big bonuses, pay for cynicism,

it's easy to wrap the ice cream

naming grief as «comprehensive pluralism».

How easy it is to tire of violence,

forget about your «concern»,

deep in the executioner’s arms,

Guterres said to Putin: «I love you».

It doesn’t matter what your state is,

look at the map

everything is conditional

radiation will be carried by the winds,

and the warm sea will bring.