Begushchee is a small volume of zaum poetry which is very similar to Tunslap in appearance. However the most fascinating aspect of this volume is its subject matter. The opening poem is dedicated to Ol'ga Rozanova, Kruchenykh's artist wife, and Aleksandr Kerenskii the leader of the Provisional Government who was in power between February and October 1917. Rozanova and Kerenskii represent the Begushchee or 'Those who have fled' for very different reasons; in November 1918 Rozanova had tragically died of diphtheria whilst in October 1917 Kerenskii, the populist leader, was removed from power. This juxtaposition of a private tragedy with a political sensation is extraordinary, not least in the sense that Kerenskii was most certainly regarded as persona non grata and to publish a volume of poetry partially devoted to him was particularly dangerous. Here we have Kruchenykh at his most radical and unpredictable.

Due to the subject matter it is clear why Begushchee does not appear in any 41° bibliographies. Indeed, considering the dangers inherent in possessing such a volume, it is surprising that the present copy survives.