Alexey Vasilyevich Koltsov, born in 1809 and passed away in 1842, was an outstanding Russian poet of the Pushkin era. Among his well-known works are "Oh, Do Not Speak of Passionate Smiles!", "Betrayal of the Betrothed", "To A.P. Srebryansky" and "The Second Song of Likhach Kudryavich".

Alexey was born on October 15, 1809. His father was engaged in buying and trading, an educated and strict man. His mother, on the contrary, was kind but completely uneducated: she could neither read nor write. The Koltsov family had many children, but Alexey had no peers, as his brothers and sisters were either significantly older or younger. Little is known about the Koltsov family: the father was strict in upbringing, did not allow mischief, and did not insist on studying, although all the children could read and write. How many children there were and how they lived remains unknown.

Alexey began learning to read and write at home at the age of nine, and he found studying easy. In 1820, he entered a school where he excelled in all subjects, especially enjoying reading. At first, he was interested in fairy tales, then novels, and in 1825 he began reading the poems of I.I. Dmitriev. However, he was unable to complete his education: his father took him out of school after the first year, believing that one year of study was enough and that his son's help was needed in business. Alexey spent a long time engaged in the driving and selling of livestock.

Despite his father's prohibition against pursuing poetry, Alexey wrote his first poem "Three Visions" at the age of 16 but soon destroyed it, striving to find his style. During this time, people who supported his talent appeared in his life. Dmitry Kashkin, a bookseller, allowed Alexey to use books for free, which contributed to his self-development. Kashkin, who was also passionate about poetry, saw himself in the young poet and helped him. Alexey continued to assist his father but did not abandon poetry.

In Alexey's personal life, changes occurred: he fell in love with a serf peasant girl, and they planned to marry, but fate separated them. This drama left a mark on his work, and the poems of 1827 were dedicated to unrequited love. In the same year, he met seminarian Andrey Srebryansky, who became his friend and mentor. With his support, four poems were published in 1830, and Alexey Koltsov's name became known.

A significant milestone in his career was his acquaintance with Nikolai Vladimirovich Stankevich in 1831. Stankevich, interested in his works, published them in a newspaper, and four years later released a collection "Poems of Alexey Koltsov". This brought the poet popularity in literary circles. Despite his success, Alexey continued to manage his father's affairs and traveled to various cities. He also collected local folklore and wrote about the life of peasants.

Alexey Vasilyevich Koltsov passed away in 1842 from a severe illness at the age of 33. In his last years, he often clashed with his father due to his negative attitude towards poetry. Nevertheless, in his short life, he became a well-known poet whose verses were widely recognized. He was buried in the Voronezh region in the Literary Necropolis.