Yuri Kasyanich (Jurijs Kasjaničs) was born in Riga in 1955. He graduated from the University of Latvia as physicist in 1977. He worked for more than 40 years in IT and finance management fields. Kasyanich is a member of The Latvian Writers’ Union  since 1996. His first translated book is a collection of poems by Egils Plaudis Poison of Lilac (Яд сирени) published by Liesma in 1985. Kasyanich published 6 books of poetry and poetry translations from Latvian and he has more than 100 publications (poetry, prose, translations) in magazines, almanacs, anthologies and storybooks in Latvia and abroad. He writes in Russian, translates prose and poetry from Latvian (Jānis Peters, Leons Briedis, Pēters Brūveris, Māris Berziņš). Kasyanich is an editor of the annual (since 2012) international poetry almanac Письмена (Inscriptions). Kasyanich is the winner of the poetry contest held by The Latvian Writers’ Union in 1996. Yuri Kasyanich lives in Riga, Latvia.

Photo: from the personal archive