His father Aleksandr Osipovich Zenkevich taught mathematics at the Marinsky Agricultural Community College, mother Evdokiya Semyonovna (née Neshcheretova) was a gymnasium teacher.

[2][3] In 1904, after graduating the First Saratov Gymnasium, Mikhail Zenkevich traveled abroad and spent two years in Germany, studying in the Universities of Jena and Berlin.

[4] In 1911 Zenkevich joined the newly formed First Workshop of Poets and became part of the Acmeist circle, striking close friendship with Vladimir Narbut.

It had strong resonance, with poets like Nikolay Gumilyov, Valery Bryusov, Vyacheslav Ivanov, Sergey Gorodetsky and Boris Sadovskoy giving it positive reviews.

[2] As the Great Patriotic War started, Zenkevich, unfit for service for health reasons, was evacuated to Chistopol but often went to the frontlines to give poetry recitals, and worked for the radio.

[1] In 1960 he visited the United States to meet some of the poets whose work he translated, including Mike Gold and Robert Frost.