"Squid Bone" is the debut novel of the Italian poet Eugenio Montale and one of the outstanding representatives of hermit poetry. In the Italian literary world, this "Squid Bone" occupies an extremely important position, and at the same time made Eugenio Montale famous in one fell swoop and became an important representative of the Italian poetry scene.
Although the volume of this "Squid Bone" is not large, you will be deeply shocked by the carefully constructed scene of the text when you turn the first page. As the birthplace of the Renaissance, Italy's artistic achievements have attracted worldwide attention. In Montale's poems, each line is like a carefully carved note, jumping on the strings of the heart, revealing a surging emotion like a symphony between the lines, which makes people instantly understand why this work can cause such a big sensation in the poetry world. Poetry and music are art forms with similar rhythms, and in Montale's works, this sense of rhythm is vividly displayed.
It is worth mentioning that the translation of this book has also put a lot of effort into the language, trying to rhyme, so that the poems are smooth and natural when read, as pleasant as music.
For example: "A country road, looking for the edge, going down, through the reeds, through the orchard, winding among the lemon trees." ”
Such a translation allows the reader to fully appreciate the beauty of the poem's rhythm.
In addition, I found the staccato of these poems to be ingenious, often breaking in unexpected places. I have not read the original book, but I suspect that it may have been an intentional effort by Montale to enhance the expressiveness of the poem. Of course, this may also be related to the difference in the creative concept of Chinese and foreign poetry.
Many of the poems in the book are followed by introductions or interpretations to help readers understand the meaning of the poems more deeply. For example, in the commentary after the poem "Lemon", it is mentioned that Montale's preference for concrete and humble landscapes is very different from the sublime and representative landscape aesthetics that were common at the time. This reflects that Montale is a poet who observes the subtleties of the everyday, and that many of his poems focus on the common objects around him, such as fruits, musical instruments, and even country roads, but Montale is able to give them a new life and meaning. He can feel the power and perception of these ordinary objects, and then create works with deep meaning.
Montale's poems, starting from the objects that can be seen in daily life, extend wonderful associations, allowing readers to feel the surging emotions in the poet's heart and his deep perception and expectations of reality. Especially in the context of World War II and the special historical period of Italy, Montale was still able to maintain this positive and surging feelings, and the creation of works such as "Squid Bone" was undoubtedly an encouragement and excitement for the pessimism of the society at that time.
Personally, I really like to read poems aloud because I can better feel the rhythm and rhyme of the poems during the recitation. When I read "Squid Bone", I unconsciously amplify the sound of reading, and my voice becomes high-spirited. It can be seen that Montale's poetry has such a strong appeal that people are moved.