Complete Collection of Poems and Poems by Akhmatova

Anna Andreyevna Gorenko (1889–1966) was born in Odessa into a large family of a retired naval mechanical engineer and a hereditary nobleman. Her childhood was spent traveling; she graduated from a girls' gymnasium and then enrolled in the Higher Historical-Literary Courses in St. Petersburg. Anna began writing her first poems at the age of eleven. The first publication of the young poetess occurred in 1907 when Nikolai Gumilev, who was courting her, published her poem “On his hand, there are many shining rings” in the Paris magazine “Sirius.” Anna's father, discovering his daughter's affinity for poetry, insisted that she not disgrace his name, and the young woman started signing her works with her maternal great-grandmother's surname—Akhmatova. In 1910, Anna and Nikolai got married. Gumilev created the association of acmeists “Workshop of Poets,” which included prominent writers of that time, among them, of course, was Akhmatova. In 1912, her debut lyrical collection “Evening” was published in the magazine “Hyperborea,” for the first time signed with her literary pseudonym; it was a great success with the reading public of St. Petersburg. On the eve of World War I, the next collection of the poetess—“The Prayer Beads” was published, followed by “The White Flock” (1917)—a collection of poems written under the influence of wartime experiences. Anna's poetry received a positive response from critics, her poems were quoted and republished. The marriage with Gumilev soon fell apart, and Anna married for the second time, but it ended unsuccessfully again. In 1921, Gumilev was arrested and shot. This was a great shock for Anna; for many years she meticulously collected and processed Nikolai's works to preserve his creative legacy. In 1938, Akhmatova's only son, Lev Gumilev, was sentenced to labor camps. The poetess spent long hours in queues to send him packages and constantly sought ways to rescue him. This period, along with the feelings of the wives and mothers of those who were convicted in the 1930s, inspired one of her most famous works—the poem “Requiem” (1963). Anna did not leave poetry, although her verses were almost no longer published after a special decree. When Akhmatova's lyrics began to be published again, she gained widespread recognition. The poetess endured two world wars, a revolution, and numerous personal hardships. Having steadfastly gone through the trials she faced, she captured the spirit of the times and became a classic of Russian literature.

This edition is a complete collection of the poems and poems of Anna Akhmatova. The wonderful expressive illustrations for the works of the great poetess were created by the talented St. Petersburg artist Anna Evgenievna Grigorenko (2002).