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I have actually read very little Puskin and was totally unaware that the movie about Mozart was based on his writing, but now I'm going to have to seek out some of his supposedly erotic poetry. Censorship of renowned literature is very scary. The puritanic bent of the communists comes from their lack of religion. They think that they can legislate morality to replace religious moral guidance.

Censorship of renowned literature is very scary. The puritanic bent of the communists comes from their lack of religion.

That doesn't sound right considering the religious crusaders we have in this country. Most, if not all, literary censorship in this country is driven by religious people.

They think that they can legislate morality to replace religious moral guidance.

We do that all the time here, too, usually driven by religion.

Like many in his time and place and class Pushkin was rather loose-living. Supposedly in the days of classical education, precocious kids picked up a lot on the "dirty bits" in Greek and Latin literature. In the end though, he cut a tragic or simply sad figure, killed in a duel by a man who had been firting with his wife.

Here's his poem to Anna Kern. He wrote of her more crudely in his private papers. There is more of his writing on the website. His earlier poetry is marked by irreverence, and his later work by a penitent attitude. Over time he moved from a youthful impudence to a more reverent feeling ...

... But is it quite as clear-cut as that or were the two attitudes of rebellion and regret tied very closely together for much of his life? I don't know what the answer is, but Russians appreciate him so much because whether they want to laugh or cry, there's always an applicable line from Pushkin.