Iya Kiva is a Ukrainian poet and translator. She is the author of three poetry collections: the latest is “Сміх згаслої ватри” (Laughter of an Extinguished Bonfire; 2023), as well as a book of interview with Belarusian authors “Ми прокинемось іншими: розмови з сучасними білоруськими письменниками про минуле, теперішнє і майбутнє Білорусі” (We’ll Wake Up Different: Conversations with Contemporary Belarusian writers on Past, Present and Future of Belarus; 2021), dedicated to protests in Belarus. Kiva’s poems were translated into more than 35 languages. Her books have been published in Bulgaria, Poland, Italy, Sweden, and the USA. Kiva is a fellow of many writing programs and residencies, including Gaude Polonia Fellowship program of the Minister of Culture of Poland (2021), International Writing Program (2023, USA), etc. Kiva is a laureate of numerous international and Ukrainian awards for poetry and translations, including the Lesia and Peter Kovalev Foundation Award of the Ukrainian Women’s League of America for the poetry book “Laughter of an Extinguished Bonfire” (2025), the Revista Timpul din România Moldova Award for “poetic resistance to war and the courage to speak about it” (2025), the Polish Ferdinand Ossendowski Award for translations of Polish poetry (2025), and others. Based in Lviv.
Iya Kiva
poet