Russian poet. With his wife, the poet Anna Akhmatova, and Gorodetsky, he founded the Acmeist school of poetry in 1912. He travelled widely in Europe and, especially, in Africa, and his poetic imagery is enhanced by the frequent use of foreign and exotic elements.

The Pillar of Fire (1921) contains much of his best work. Gumilev was executed by the Bolsheviks for alleged conspiratorial activities.

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