Episode Title:

Oksana Maksymchuk's Arguments for Peace: Poetry on Denial, Cognitive Dissonance, and Living Through War

Episode Description:

In this episode of Midweek Pause for Peace, host Laura Davis shares Ukrainian poet Oksana Maksymchuk's haunting poem that captures the psychological reality of denial as ordinary life continues against a backdrop of impending war. Through carefully selected imagery paired with this powerful work, Laura explores how we navigate the cognitive dissonance between daily routines and rapid-fire cruelty in our world. This episode offers support for anyone processing the tension between normalcy and crisis, seeking poetry that names collective denial, or looking for language that holds the contradictions of living in uncertain times.

What Laura Covers in This Episode:

How denial functions as a psychological mechanism when we maintain normal routines—cobblestone streets, festive celebrations, children sledding—while ignoring warnings of imminent danger

The cognitive dissonance of dipping noses in whipping cream while pretending not to notice phones lighting up with foreign leaders warning of invasion

Why we construct arguments against reality based on what we have to lose: our happy lives, our beloved children, our cherished homes, believing our love will protect us from what's coming

The universal human tendency to believe "it couldn't be" and "war wouldn't dare come" even as evidence mounts, and how this poem holds a mirror to our own denials

About Host Laura Davis:

Laura Davis is an acclaimed author and writing teacher with over 35 years of experience helping writers craft powerful, authentic stories. She is the author of seven books, including the award-winning memoir "The Burning Light of Two Stars," which won the BookLife Prize in 2021. Laura is also co-author of the groundbreaking book "The Courage to Heal."

Through her Midweek Pause for Peace podcast series, Laura pairs carefully selected poetry with peaceful imagery to support listeners' emotional wellness and nervous system regulation.

Each week, host Laura Davis pairs beautiful imagery with meaningful poetry, offering listeners a respite for both heart and nervous system. These midweek pauses provide essential moments of reflection, healing, and inspiration in our complex world.

Perfect for: Anyone seeking Laura Davis' signature blend of poetry and peace, those managing stress and anxiety, and listeners who appreciate thoughtful, heart-centered content.

About the Featured Poet:

Oksana Maksymchuk is a bilingual Ukrainian American poet, scholar, and translator. She is the author of the poetry collections Xenia and Lovy, in Ukrainian. She coedited Words for War: New Poems from Ukraine, an anthology of contemporary poetry, and has published several single-author volumes of translations. Born and raised in Lviv, Ukraine, she has also lived in Chicago, Philadelphia, Budapest, Berlin, Warsaw, and Fayetteville, Arkansas. She currently teaches at the University of Chicago.

Connect with Laura Davis:

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