Cold Ravine (poem)

The poem presents a contrast between the haidamak rebels of the past, who had fought against Polish oppression, and the author's contemporaries, whose passivity is seen by him as the root cause of Russian despotism. In his verse Shevchenko makes a comparison between Nicholas I and Nero, condemning the imperialistic wars of conquest led by the tsarist regime. He also criticizes the view of haidamaks as simple brigands, popularized by authors such as Apollon Skalkowski.^[2]

The final line of the poem, prophesying a new rebellion spreading from Kholodny Yar, was written on the flag of the rebel Kholodny Yar Republic during the Ukrainian War of Independence.^[3]