Poetry Challenge #265-Eugenio Montale's Eyes
It's Italian poet Eugenio Montale's birthday, born 10/12/1896. As well as being a poet, Montale worked as an accountant and loved to study literature, languages, and music. He was studying to be a baritone in operas when WWI began. After serving in the war, he became a journalist and wrote many articles about literature, music, and art for the largest paper in Italy, as well as writing his own poetry and essays and translating the works of others, including T.S. Eliot.
In 1928, Montale became the director of a library but was fired ten years later because he refused to support the fascist regime during WWII. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1975.
Below is Montale’s poem, “Bring Me the Sunflower” translated by Charles Wright. As in this example, his poems usually dealt with nature. He often addressed someone who wasn’t there. He was a fan of writing in café’s and of the objective correlative—an object that carries meaning.
Poetry Challenge #265
Through Montale’s Eyes
To honor Montale, write a poem to another person without saying who the person is. Explain something to that person. Include nature and an object that holds some special meaning or a memory or feeling.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just write It!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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