David Samoylov (pen name; real surname Kaufman David Samuilovich; June 1, 1920, Moscow — February 23, 1990, Tallinn) was a Soviet poet and prose writer.
“Poetry stands between confession and preaching, not being either one or the other. Confession is turning the inside out in the hope of obtaining forgiveness for sins. Preaching is a false knowledge of the ideal. Poetry is an act. And an act is an aspect of time. It, too, has no way back.” (D. S. Samoylov. Daily notes)