Osip Mandelstam (1891–1938) is considered one of the greatest Russian-language poets and shared in the struggle of writers like Akhmatova, Pasternak, and Tsvetaeva in emphasizing artistic autonomy in a fiercely authoritarian climate. His poetry earned him the reputation of a leading poet of his generation. However, disinclined to turn poetry into propaganda during the Stalin years, he disappeared from print. Arrested in 1934, he suffered torture that weakened his heart and led to an early death. A two-volume collection (1964) brought him a new audience of readers, scholars, and fellow poets.

#196, 1923

by Osip Mandelstam, translated by Carol Moldaw with Irina Ross

Outside the window a star blazes.
Inside, a votive’s quavering flame.

People on couch

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