Eugenio Montale

This proves that great lyric poetry can die, be reborn, die again, but will always remain one of the most outstanding creations of the human soul. – Eugenio Montale

True poetry is similar to certain pictures whose owner is unknown and which only a few initiated people know. – Eugenio Montale

However, poetry does not live solely in books or in school anthologies. – Eugenio Montale

I do not go in search of poetry. I wait for poetry to visit me. – Eugenio Montale

Narrative art, the novel, from Murasaki to Proust, has produced great works of poetry. – Eugenio Montale

Poetry is the art which is technically within the grasp of everyone: a piece of paper and a pencil and one is ready. – Eugenio Montale

Slowly poetry becomes visual because it paints images, but it is also musical: it unites two arts into one. – Eugenio Montale

There is also poetry written to be shouted in a square in front of an enthusiastic crowd. This occurs especially in countries where authoritarian regimes are in power. – Eugenio Montale

There is poetry even in prose, in all the great prose which is not merely utilitarian or didactic: there exist poets who write in prose or at least in more or less apparent prose millions of poets write verses which have no connection with poetry. – Eugenio Montale

For my part, if I consider poetry as an object, I maintain that it is born of the necessity of adding a vocal sound (speech) to the hammering of the first tribal music. – Eugenio Montale