Now, how, you ask, do I know she did this? What historical documents am I referring to, I hear you mutter to yourself. Well, let's take a look at this poem Stalin wrote when he was 15 years old, and was studying at a seminary to be a Russian Orthodox Priest.

The Wanderer

He knew all their homes

Spurned from their doors

His old balalaika

Strumming its tones

His song --

As pure as the rays of the sun!

A subtle truth

A silent dream

And, of a sudden

Their stony hearts

Beat in time!

Their minds

Immured in darkness.

No greater glory

For the people of his land

"Here's your bowl of Hemlock,"

they said,

"You are damned,

Drink deep,

Your song, we know not,

And your truth,

is NOT!"

Now, clearly the writer of this poem has one Hell of a Messianic Complex for a 15 year old boy, even one studying to be a Priest! There's some persecution mania there too, of course. If you think you're Jesus Christ, there are likely to be a lot of people who don't quite agree, and you're going to find yourself rejected a fair amount. But, where is this coming from?

Well, let's consider Stalin's situation. A five foot three inch tall ethnic Georgian with webbed feet and a useless left arm, whose wastrel father had deserted the family and been killed in a drunken brawl. Stalin is supported by his devoted mother doing odd jobs to keep them alive. What is Stalin's mother going to tell her son?

"Josef, you are special. You will be a priest and save our people. That's why God has made you as you are. You are bearing your Cross, to bring God's truth and light to the world, Josef. You will endure and survive, Josef, to save the Russian people. That is your quest and purpose, my dear Josef."

And, thus, we have Stalin's career, personality, and life, in a nutshell. As expressed in his own poetry.

Thoughts?