Nykyfor Panasovych Shcherbyna (1900-1977), a Ukrainian poet and translator, was born in the stanitsa Starokurs’ka in the Kuban region. In 1922, Shcherbyna enrolled into literary and historical faculty at Kuban Pedagogical Institute. In 1923, he transferred to a faculty of language and literature of Kyiv Institute. During his life in Kyiv, he became a member of the literary group “Hart” and the Association of Panfuturists.

In 1926, Shcherbyna left his studies and moved to the Kuban region. In 1927, Shcherbyna moved to Kharkiv. This period of his literary career Shcherbyna himself considered both the period of development and discouragement. He actively participated in the literary life of the city and was published in various literary magazines and newspapers: Vaplite, Chernovyi Shliakh, Hart, Vsesvit, Literaturnyi iarmarok, Nova hromada, Uchytel’s’ka hazeta.

In 1929, Shcherbyna’s first poetry collection “Ranok” was published. In 1930, the second collection “Homin budniv” was published. Shcherbyna’s poetry was criticized by official literati and his own works were not published in the years 1931-1941.

In 1934, Shcherbyna’s translation of Chekhov’s short stories “Kashtanka” was criticized by publishing house “Molodyi Bilshovyk” and he was accused of the “language nationalism” (“natsionalism u movi”).

At the end of World War II, Shcherbyna moved to Germany. In 1950, he emigrated to the United States. In the United States, Shcherbyna’s writings were published in magazines and newspapers. In 1969, Shcherbyna’s collection of children poetry “Prolisky” came out. Nykyfor Shcherbyna died in 1977.