Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

"Never have I wanted to be understood so much as in this poem. It is probably the most serious piece of work I have ever done." Written in 1924, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin crowned a long period of preparatory work on this theme. The poet was fortunate to see and hear Lenin on a number of occasions. During the October days of 1917 he saw Lenin in Smolny, the headquarters of the uprising. Later he heard several speeches by the founder of the Soviet state. Mayakovsky not only strove with the utmost fidelity to depict Lenin as an historic figure in his own words, he "wrote the poem remaining a poet." In Lenin's life and activity he sought solutions to issues that engaged him all his life: man, his destination, his place in the world, his happiness, his struggle and triumph over the tragic in life. He was human - as human as anyone... Mayakovsky gave numerous recitals of his poem both at home and abroad. "The workers' response was heartening, reassuring me in the belief that this poem was needed." "The splendid powerful poem on Lenin's death made an enormous impression on listeners." - Daily Worker, London, 1925