In March 1938, her son, Lev Gumiliov, was arrested for the third time, and, standing in the long line with her food parcel for her son along the frozen stone walls of Kresty- old Peretsbutg prison, Akhmatova heard as a woman, with the blue from cold lips, as woken up from our stupor, asked me in my ear, we all talked in wispers then: — Can you describe all this? —I can, answered Akhmatova. And, something, likeness of smile, slipped on what, a long time ago, was her face. 1 April 1957 This question-and-answer between the poet and the unknown woman became the Preface to the poem Requiem.