Poet Sergei Orlov: Biography and Creativity

With a "small" homeland, the poet Sergei Orlov never parted. Even when he studied at the University of Petrozavodsk and the tank school of Chelyabinsk, even when he roared the diesel engine of his heavy tank "KV", fighting for the liberation from the fascists of our vast homeland - the poet's soul blossomed in a quiet but strict North, his Vologda region. Here lived the poet Sergei Orlov. Photo, of course, will not give all the charm of this region.

Memory of the poet

Moreover, he did not forget his native Belozersk, working in Leningrad and Moscow. He often visited the northern forests and lakes, met with people dear to his heart. It was from here flying star dust in his Milky Way lines, it was here he was at home.

And the native land will never forget its poet. Sergei Orlov and now with her constantly. Vologda residents not only remember and honor him, but also publish that in our time it is not so simple. Both in Vologda and in Belozersk streets are named after the poet. Here, in Belozersk, there is a monument and a memorial museum, among the exhibits of which there are unique ones, their Sergei Orlov repeatedly held in his hands: books, manuscripts, drafts.

Defending his country, he almost burnt in a tank, and then spent his whole life hiding the face, disfigured with burns, releasing his beard. And the Motherland defended the poet as best she could. She awarded him prizes, orders and medals. Sergei Orlov probably would have died in his deafening roaring and already burning tank. The medal "For the Defense of Leningrad" was stopped by a fragment flying in the chest, not allowing it to reach the heart. Perhaps, even the verses served as a shield. Unusual poet - Sergei Orlov, whose biography is read as a legend.

The beginning of the way

The poet was born on August 22, 1921 in the village of Megra Cherepovets district (now the Vologda region, Belozersky district). The village was already big and cultured at that time, with its hut-reading room, with a medical center, the steam mill even provided electricity for the villagers. Today, there is no Meghri, in its place is a reservoir.

His father died early, his stepfather appeared, who in the 1930s was sent to organize Siberian collective farms. Sergei Orlov, too, lived for several years in Siberia, then returned with his family to their native places. The mother of the poet taught literature and Russian in a rural school, from her and the boy moved to art literature.

The first experiments

Sergei Orlov visited the literary studio, where, in addition to children, there were students of the pedagogical school. Sergei Orlov, whose verses were just beginning their way from heart depths, and there, one might say, shone. The newspaper "Belozersky collective farmer" willingly published the poems of the schoolboy, and then they made their way to the regional periodical press.

The received fees not only pleased - they were amazing. On them the young poet Orlov Sergey Sergeevich got the first suit in his life - with a jacket! That was a success! Although - only the beginning. Because he soon became the winner at the All-Union competition of schoolchildren for the best poem. It was called "Pumpkin and three cucumbers". Kornei Ivanovich Chukovsky not only warmly responded and gave the full text of the poem in the pages of the newspaper Pravda, but also included a fragment in his book "From two to five."

Fighter Battalion and Heavy Tank KV-1

Finished ten classes in 1940, Sergei Orlov decided to become a historian and enrolled in Petrozavodsk University, and in June 1941 began to fight as part of the national militia, in a fighter battalion, which was formed by volunteer students.

Two months later, the poet was sent to the Chelyabinsk Tank School, where he published the first collection of his poems called "Front" in 1942. Then Sergei Orlov arrived at the Volkhov Front.

The railway station Mga, where the 33rd Tank Regiment was stationed, and the Ladoga village of Dusievo, where the heavy tank KV-1 of Sergei Orlov ironed melting snow under the tracks, became the place of the first battle for the legendary tank-poet.

He was buried in a ball of earth ...

Breaks between battles filled verses. The army newspaper "Lenin's Way" willingly published them. But on February 17, 1944, liberating Novgorod, fellow soldiers literally miraculously pulled the platoon commander from the burning tank. The medal did not allow the fragment to reach the heart, and the face remained disfigured burns, which he hid until the end of his life, growing a beard.

After the hospital, the poet was demobilized, and the young lieutenant returned home-to his native Belozersk. I got a job at the Belozersky section of the Volga-Baltic Canal. And I experienced one of the hardest spiritual dramas: my beloved girl refused the poet with a burned face and an almost inactive hand.

Third speed

The soldier did not give up. He left for Leningrad and entered the university - for the second year of philology at the faculty. He already knew how to create a story. The poet-front-line soldier, in every respect Michael Dudin helped the tankman with the publishing house, and in 1946 Sergei Orlov became the author of the book "The Third Speed".

There was still war there. The name says that the memory of the recently defeated battles can not be wasted: it was at the third speed that the tanks went into battle, they did not even go, they flew! The lines of poetry were adequate to the war, topographically accurate, simple and, despite all severity, intonationally warm.

After the war, they long believed that literature should write about the war in heroic, patriotic tones, without fail, with pathos, but without tragedy. It could not be said about the book written by Sergei Orlov. Russia lost its best sons in the war, and the poet sang this requiem honestly. It is so honest that even the criticism took the book warmly.

Writers' Union

Philology Sergei Orlov studied not very long, moved to the Literary Institute named after Gorky and completed his studies there, in Moscow, on Tverskoi Boulevard until 1954.

Then he returned to Leningrad, participated in writers 'congresses, and since 1958 has already entered the reign of the Writers' Union. Worked as the head of the department of poetry of the journal Neva, in the editorial board of another Leningrad journal - Aurora.

He managed to make friends with the Vologda and Leningrad writers, with his assistance Vologda received the regional branch of the Union instead of a literary union.

Creative climb

Books Sergei Orlov wrote one after another: in 1948 - "The campaign continues," in 1952 - "Rainbow in the Steppe", in 1953 - "Gorodok", in 1954 - "Poems." Four years later - "The Voice of First Love", then "The Favorites of 1938-1956". In 1963 - "One Love", and in 1965 - just two books: "Constellation" and "Wheel." In 1966 - "Lyrics", in 1969 - "The Page" ...

Together with Mikhail Dudin, the script for the film "Skylark" was written about the feat of tankmen in the German captivity. Strong were the spirit of the poet of the USSR!

In 1970, Sergei Orlov is a member of the secretariat of the Writers' Union and moves to Moscow. In 1974 the collection of poems "Fidelity" was awarded the State Prize. Later, the poet himself was elected to the committee for awarding the State and Lenin Prizes. The book "Bonfires" - the final one - came out a year after his death, in 1978. He could not see (or rather say - he did not want to, he was ashamed) and a collection of his works. Although, with his position, he could certainly. But we saw. It appeared in the 80's.

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This poet gave birth to war. She became the key event in life. The poetic outlook was not limited to the military theme of Sergei Orlov, but all his creative path the poet bore this war on his shoulders.

It was in the war that his strongest, most intimate lines, not only powerful in content, but also high artistic level, were born. Pathetics is typical for almost all "lieutenant" works of poets and writers of wartime, it is in Orlov's poems, but does not dominate, but only supports other, more important features of the sound of his lyre.

Tankmen do not like loud words, - so said Sergei Orlov. That's why everyday life is endowed with the highest meaning in his poetry. The same principles worked in postwar verses, where the peaceful life flourished. All the most everyday and seemingly mediocre phenomena are depicted by the poet as events of immense, one might say, epic significance.

Native land - that's a special thematic series in all his postwar works, that same Belozerskaya land - past, present and future, with a ladder to the sky, the one that the poet Sergey Orlov so selflessly loved. The photo, perhaps, does not show the very highest poetic connection between nature and man, but nature is beautiful on it. Certainly. Perhaps the poet also saw this picture. Only alive.