Masenko, Teren

Masenko, Teren [Масенко, Терень], b 10 November 1903 in Hlodosy, Yelysavethrad county, Kherson gubernia, d 6 August 1970 in Kyiv. Poet and journalist. He was a member of the literary organizations Molodniak and Prolitfront and first began to publish his work in 1924. He is the author of the anthologies Stepova mid' (Copper of the Steppes, 1927), Pivdenne more (The Southern Sea, 1929), Virshi ta poemy (Verses and Poems, 1939), Tsvit zemli (The Earth’s Bloom, 1948), Kyïvs'ki kashtany (The Chestnut Trees of Kyiv, 1954), Iak pakhne zemlia (How the Earth Is Fragrant, 1958), and many others, and of a versified novel, Step (The Steppe, 1938). Masenko also published collections of articles and essays and the autobiographical Zhyttia i pisnia (Life and Song, 1960). He is the author of several books of verses for children. Over 200 of his verses have been set to music by Ukrainian composers.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 3 (1993).]