Writing Under Fire: Poetry and Prose from Ukraine and the Black Country

In this unique collection, Ukrainian writers reflect on Russia’s war against their country to understand the impact of the terror and trauma that is being inflicted. They receive responses from colleagues whose work is connected to the UK’s Black Country. Sometimes the British writers link tangentially with their Ukrainian counterparts yet at other times we find more direct, intimate conversations. The unfolding transcultural dialogue builds a literary bridge that aims to support Ukraine.

Writing Under Fire offers crafted fragments of clarity and wisdom that confront military fire power. The volume has writing by some of Ukraine’s foremost contemporary writers including Victoria Amelina, who was killed by a Russian air strike. The book presents a diverse range of perspectives, including contributions from active soldiers who send dispatches from the frontline.

The twenty-one pieces use a wide variety of form and style as well as literary genres including folklore and fairy tales to give voice to an unspeakable situation. Together, they write back in protest against the inhumanity and injustice of what is being done to a sovereign people.