POETS visiting...

[chatelaa]

Does anyone know of any specific poets entertained by N and A?

My favorite Russian poet, Anna Akhmatova, thrived creatively during that time (first book 1912 or thereabouts), and although I never read it in her journals or books about her, I'd be thrilled to pieces to learn if she met N and A.  She was raised in Tsarskoe Selo (sp?) but spent most of her life, as you know, in St. Petersburg.

Maybe N and A weren't all that interested in poetry; just curious, actually.

Thanks,
Adele

[BobAtchison]

Alexandra met the poet Sergei Alexandrovich Esenin, who later married Isadora Duncan.  He lived in Tsarskoe and he was invited to the Alexander Palace several times.  It is also said he met Alexandra at Vyrubova's house.  After the Revolution he did not discuss his relationship with the Empress.  Esenin was in the army during the war and stationed in Tsarskoe.  He wrote poems at the time that had heavy religious overtones and this may have been what interested the Imperial family, he was a soldier, religious and an artist.

The Russian peasant poet Nicholas Klyuev was also a visitor to the palace and met the family and recited his poems.

These are two unusual men with reputations that one would think would have prevented them from invitations to the palace.  I always wonder if Alexandra saw something of Ernie in both of them.

Had the revolution not occured Alix's involvement with modern artists, poets and writers would have received more attention.  Since this involvement does not jive with people's stereotype of her it just seems to be glossed over.

Among artists she was very close to many including Nesterov and Vasnetsov - for obvious reasons due to their religious work.  These two were also close to Ella.

[chatelaa]

Thanks!  This is just amazing; a side of Alexandra I didn't know about at all.  It makes her all the more fascinating; and it's so sad this sensitive creative side of her was ignored by others.

---Adele

[Arleen_Ristau]

What struck people about his eyes was the COLOR, a particular shade of blue...and the way that he stared at everyone he met or talked to directly in their eyes.  I am rereading Peter Kurth's wonderful book about Isadora Duncan and there are a couple of chapters on him.
..Arleen