Happy Victory Day! The best poems that will not leave you indifferent

Every year on May 9, Russians celebrate one of the most important holidays of the year — Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War. The year 2026 marks the 81st anniversary of this significant date. Izvestia has prepared touching and patriotic poems for Victory Day that can be learned at school and kindergarten, as well as a selection of works by Soviet and modern authors that will not leave you indifferent.

Poetic legacy of the war: poems dedicated to Victory Day

Victory Day was established in honor of the end of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and the surrender of Nazi Germany. It was first celebrated in 1945, but over time the format of the celebration changed: in the post-war years, the celebrations were smaller, and since 1965, May 9 has again become an official day off with military parades and commemorative events.

Today, the holiday retains the status of one of the key ones in the Russian calendar, combining state ceremonies and the personal memory of millions of families. At the same time, Victory Day remains a deeply personal date: families remember their relatives who participated in the war, home front workers and all those who were affected by the events of those years.

Traditionally, parades, flower-laying at memorials, memorial events and meetings with veterans are held on this day. Cultural and educational events, including school lineups, concerts and themed performances, occupy a special place in the celebration. Poems about war and Victory play an important role in them, both classical works and modern texts written in memory of the events of those years.

The poetic legacy of the Great Patriotic War occupies a special place in literature. The poems of the war years and the post-war period reflect the tragedy, courage and resilience of the people who survived the war. They are dedicated to the heroism of soldiers, the fate of civilians, the theme of memory and gratitude. Many of these pieces have become symbols of the holiday and are regularly performed at celebrations on May 9th.

Among the most famous authors are Konstantin Simonov, Alexander Tvardovsky, Robert Rozhdestvensky, Julia Drunina. Their poems are characterized by sincerity and depth, convey personal feelings and the general mood of the era. Works such as "Wait for Me", "Vasily Terkin" or "Requiem" are still read from the stage and included in school curricula. They help to keep generations connected and pass on historical memory to the young.

Modern authors also continue to write poems dedicated to May 9, addressing the topic of historical memory and the continuity of generations. These works perform not only an artistic, but also an educational function. Through poetic lines, knowledge about the past is passed on to children and adolescents, respect for the history of the country and the feat of their ancestors is formed, which have become part of the common memory of the Great Patriotic War.

The best patriotic poems for May 9th

Victory Day

May Day Holiday —
Victory Day
The whole country celebrates.
Our grandfathers wear it.
Military orders.

The road calls them in the morning
To the solemn parade,
And thoughtfully from the doorway
The grandmothers look after them.

(Timofey Belozerov)

Obelisks

There are obelisks in Russia,
They have the names of soldiers on them…
My peers are boys
They lie under the obelisks.
And to them, silent in sorrow,
Flowers are brought by the field
The girls are the ones who have been waiting for them so much,
They're completely gray now.

(Alexey Ternovsky)

There is no war

The children went to bed one day —
The windows are all darkened.
And we woke up at dawn —
There's light in the windows, and there's no war!

We don't have to say goodbye anymore
And don't send me to the front. —
They'll be coming back from the front,
We will be waiting for the heroes.

The trenches will be overgrown with grass
On the sites of past battles.
Getting prettier every year,
Hundreds of cities will rise.

And in good moments
You'll remember, and I'll remember.,
As from the fierce hordes of the enemy
We were cleaning the edges.

Let's remember everything: How we were friends,
How we put out fires,
Like our porch
They gave me fresh milk
Grizzled by dust,
A tired fighter.

Let's not forget those heroes,
What lies in the ground raw,
Giving your life on the battlefield
For the people, for you and me.

(Sergey Mikhalkov)

What is Victory Day?

What is Victory Day?
This is the morning parade:
Tanks and missiles are coming,
A line of soldiers is marching.

What is Victory Day?
It's a fireworks display.:
Fireworks soar into the sky,
Crumbling here and there.

What is Victory Day?
These are songs at the table,
These are speeches and conversations,
It's my grandfather's album.

These are fruits and candies,
These are the smells of spring…
What is Victory Day? —
This means there is no war.

(Andrey Usachev)

Forty-fifth

The orders shine in the sun,
Medals ring solemnly,
The whole country is proud of them,
They defended their freedom.

There are fewer of them left,
Grey-haired defenders of the people,
That brought the moment of happiness closer,
It took four years to win.

They are decorated with gray hair,
New medals are shining,
The whole country owes them a debt.,
They didn't feel any heat.

I'm going to the parade in uniform.,
Awe reigns in the soul,
There is a fanfare once a year.,
And oblivion continues.

They went to battle for freedom.,
Wars of the beardless soldiers,
To protect the country by yourself.
They take you back to the forty-fifth.

(Anatoly Bolutenko)

Victory Day

Victory Day is the main holiday,
The most important and holy one.
Everyone knows he's been conquered.
It was a huge cost.

Tears of joy and happiness,
Tears of sorrow and loss,
It all came together that day.,
On that great May day.

Let there be a holiday over the world,
Let the fireworks thunder,
Veterans of those events
They will remember the past again.

Towns and stations,
Villages and fields,
Where did they beat the fascists,
Where their friends died.

Let the veterans wear it.
All the awards on this day.
All their exploits and glory
The shadow will bypass oblivion.

Let the Victory salute resound,
Like spring thunder from heaven,
Dear veterans,
We bow to the ground to you!

(Irina Butrimova)

Victory

Victory! Victory! Victory!
The news is spreading across the country.
The end of trials and tribulations,
The end of a multi-year war.

The beast's lair has been destroyed,
The hotbeds of war have been swept away.
And with the news through the open doors
The sun of spring bursts in.

A blood-soaked victory,
You are dearer to my heart a hundredfold.
You were with us in the suburbs.
You remember the Caucasus, Stalingrad.

You walked in columns with us.,
She led us into a decisive battle.
On our banners today
You've eclipsed the sun.

(Joseph Vasilevsky)