 His father, a local tanner and shoemaker, was an Old Believer, and as such exerted strong influence upon his son and his future writings.Klychkov took part in the 1905 Revolution, was on barricades as a member of the Sergey Konenkov-led fighting druzhina and described his experience in several poems, some of which, published in 1907, received praise from Sergey Gorodetsky and Vikenty Veresayev.His debut poetry collection "Pesni" (Песни, Songs) came out in 1911; instrumental in the publication was his friend, mentor and occasionally sponsor Modest Chaykovski, with whom three years earlier he made a trip to Italy where he met, among others, Maxim Gorky and Anatoly Lunacharsky.