“I Am Not One of Those Who Left the Land…”

This poem shows Akhmatova’s very strong patriotic feelings. From the start, we know that Akhmatova looks down to those who fled Russia at the “mercy of its enemies.” We see this through the words, “my songs are not for them to praise,” which in this case means that the words she outlines through her poems, that speak of the patriotism that she feels for her country, does not associate with those who “left the land” because they chose to run away rather than stay back and fight for what they believe is right. Akhmatova feels a sense of shame for those who left the land saying that “[t]heir flattery leaves me cold.” In addition, Akhmatova also bears pity on those who fled their land because those who choose the path of the wanderer are destined to a dark and infected pathway ahead of them. Akhmatova continues by saying that “in the murk of conflagration” or through the shade of this inferno, there is hardly “a friend that is left to know” because most of them have fled in fear of the growing power of their enemies. She notes that she believes that the people who did not leave the land are the true survivors because they did not “flinch” or drawback from anything. They did not cringe from “a single blow.” These “survivors” stood strong while their worlds slowly fell apart around them. Akhmatova adds that “after the passing of this cloud,” we will all realize the true survivors that still remain. After this cloud, which is a symbol of the hostility of nature, passes, the people who remain are those who are the strongest, those “without tears” and those who are “more proud.” This poem stood out to me among the other four poems because through this poem, we finally see the true colors of Akmatova’s patriotism. She is a woman who knows what she believes and makes sure to stand up for it. She believes that anyone that does not do the same is shameful to themselves, their country as well as to the world around them. Akhmatova is truly a survivor in the eyes of her country as well as her fellow readers.

"The Guest"

It seems as though Akhmatova has just experienced a very life-changing moment in her being. She realizes that nothing has changed around her though she now looks at the world through different eyes. Her new outlook notices that similarly to the physical features all around her, like the snow grains plastered to the window, that are positioned how they began, she lies there changed forever mentally and emotionally but physically, she is what she was. The underlying change that she has made is, as the reader can clearly see, with a man. The man tells her that he wants to be in hell with her after Akhmatova asks, “What do you want?” This shows that perhaps Akhmatova has done something that could send her to hell, the place where sinners are banished to in their after-life. Akhmatova does not seem to be very affected by what the man has to say in that she laughs and says plainly, “[…] you mean to have us both destroyed.” This shows that Akhmatova is hiding something that will destroy her if it slips out. By realizing that no one but the man and Akhmatova know about this “hidden secret” that will have both of them destroyed, we also realize that this man is in a way threatening to take them both down by revealing the secret. The man then takes his hand and “lightly stroke[s] the flowers” this could be interpreted as perhaps that the flowers symbolize hair, more specifically, the hair that covers Akhmatova’s face. He asks her to tell him “how men kiss [her]” and how she kisses. This shows that there is some sort of romantic relationship between Akhmatova and this unidentified man. The man stands with his eyes fixed on the ring that wraps around one of Akhmatova’s fingers, with a very stern “sardonic face” as if somehow he is proud of himself through guilt that is shown through his expressionless face. The man looks at her and realizes that “there’s nothing from [her] he wants,” showing that the man has won and received everything she can offer; however, the poem ends with Akhmatova’s words “I have nothing to refuse.” These final words portray the knowledge that Akmatova has received, which is that the man has won, she is in a sense his “slave.” She has given him all she could and now that he knows she has, he can use it against her. Therefore, she cannot refuse satisfying his needs, which requires her to sin once again. This poem stood out to me between the other two poems because I felt an inner connection with Akhmatova. This does not necessarily mean that I have been through the same experience she has, it just merely means that I could in a sense capture some of the emotions she had clearly felt through this poem. Throughout this poem, I see Akhmatova as a woman who feels entrapped as well as diminished; just two of the many feelings that many of Akhmatova’s readers can relate to.