Museum Collection
A Book from Nikolay Aseyev
In the State M.A. Sholokhov Museum-Reserve holding there is a book by Nikolay Aseyev with the author’s autograph. It was sent to Mikhail Alexandrovich Sholokhov, to Vyoshenskaya, by the poet’s wife, Kseniya Mikhailovna, after the author’s death.
The letter addressed to Sholokhov read:
“Dear Mikhail Alexandrovich!
Nikolay Nikolayevich always had a keen interest in your creative work and he wanted to tell about this by sending you his book of collected poetry. Several months earlier Nikolay Nikolayevich prepared a copy with his autograph devoted to you and one of his early “Don” poems dear to his heart. But his illness prevented him from sending the book.
I am sending it now thinking that you may be pleased to receive this farewell regard.
I take a chance to express my hope for your agreement on entering the board of the Commission on the literary heritage of N.N. Aseyev set up by the Union of Writers. Your participation in it could promote a successful settling the points concerning a well-deserved immortalization of the poet’s memory and spreading his work.
Sincerely yours. K.M. Aseyeva.
August, 25, 1963”.
Nikolay Nikolayevich Aseyev (1889-1963) published his first poems in 1911 in the journal “Vesna”. Then he published his works in the journal “Protalinka”, in the almanacs and books. The first books of poetry “The Night Flute” and “Zor” were edited in 1914.
In 1915 he was called up for the military service, went through training in the Irkutsk ensign school, then he went to Vladivostok, where he became a member of the Regiment Soviet of Soldiers’ Deputies. In 1921 he edited his book of poetry “A Bomb”. In 1922 he returned to Moscow, worked for the journal “Lef”. In co-authorship with Mayakovskiy he edited six books of agitation poems. Then his books were edited: “A Steel Nightingale” (1922), “A Council of Winds” (1923), a poem “Budyonnyi” (1922). He wrote essays “A Made-Up Beauty” (1928) and a book “A Prose of a Poet” (1930). In the 1930-s he published his poem “Mayakovskiy Is Beginning”.
During the Great Patriotic war Aseyev’s poems were published in the central and front newspapers, books of collected poetry were edited: “The First Platoon” (1941), “Kursk” (1943), “A Flame of Victory” (1946).
In the 50-s Aseyev wrote new chapters for the poem “Mayakovskiy Is Beginning”, in 1961 he edited a book about literature “Who Needs Poetry and Why”, where he summed up his work and his life.
Nikolay Aseyev deceased on July, 16, 1963. A month later after the poet’s death his “farewell regard” came to Vyoshenskaya.
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