The Selected Poetry And Prose Of Vittorio Sereni: A Bilingual Edition Works. Selections. English & Italian. 2006

The Beach (La Spiaggia)They’ve all gone away —the voice was blathering down the receiverThen, knowingly: — They’ll not return —. But todayon this stretch of beach never visited beforethose sunlight patches . . . Signalsof theirs, who hadn't left at all?And when you turn they’re quiet, as if nothing. What’s being wasted from day to dayis not the dead, but it’s thosepatches of the nonexistent, lime or ashesready to become light and movement. Don’tbe in doubt, — the sea’s strength assails me —speak they will. Viewed as one of the most important Italian poets of the last century, Vittorio Sereni (1913–83) wrote with a historical sweep unlike that of any of his contemporaries. A poet of both personal and political responsibility, he wrote of life under fascism, military defeat and imprisonment, the Italian economic miracle and cold war in Europe, and the resurgence of extreme right-wing politics, as well as the roles played by love and friendship in the survival of humanity. An equally esteemed prose writer, his pieces on the contradictions of war and the complex purpose of poetry and the arts in society are seminal contributions to Italian literature. The first substantial translation of Sereni’s work published anywhere in the world, The Selected Poetry and Prose of Vittorio Sereni is a unique guide to this classic twentieth-century poet. This bilingual edition collects the most representative poems from Sereni’s oeuvre, as well as a selection of prose works that extends the themes of his poetry. The book also contains examples of Sereni’s short fiction, published here in English for the first time. With a full chronology, commentary, bibliography, and learned introduction by distinguished British poet and scholar Peter Robinson, The Selected Poetry and Prose of Vittorio Sereni is the only authorized rendering of Sereni’s verse in English. (20070401) Contents......Page 6 Illustrations......Page 14 Preface......Page 16 Acknowledgments......Page 20 Introduction......Page 24 Chronology......Page 54 Selected Poetry......Page 62 da Frontiera / from Frontier......Page 64 Concerto in giardino......Page 65 Garden concert......Page 66 Frontiera......Page 83 Frontier......Page 84 Ecco le voci cadono......Page 95 See how the voices fall......Page 96 Diario d’Algeria / Algerian Diary......Page 98 La ragazza d’atene......Page 99 The athenian girl......Page 100 Diario d’algeria......Page 111 Algerian diary......Page 112 Il male d’Africa......Page 125 The African sickness......Page 126 da Gli strumenti umani /from The Human Implements......Page 140 Uno sguardo di rimando......Page 141 A backward glance......Page 142 Una visita in fabbrica......Page 157 A factory visit......Page 158 Appuntamento a ora insolita......Page 163 Appointment at an unusual hour......Page 164 Il centro abitato......Page 175 The inhabited center......Page 176 Apparizioni o incontri......Page 189 Apparitions or encounters......Page 190 da Stella variabile / from Variable Star......Page 224 i......Page 225 i......Page 226 ii......Page 237 ii......Page 238 iii......Page 249 iii......Page 250 iv......Page 271 iv......Page 272 v......Page 279 v......Page 280 Selected Prose......Page 300 from The Immediate Surroundings......Page 302 from Crossing Milan......Page 362 Commentary......Page 412 Bibliography......Page 450 Index of titles and first lines......Page 456 One Of The Most Important Italian Poets Of The Last Century, Vittorio Sereni (1913-83) Wrote With A Historical Awareness Unlike That Of Any Of His Contemporaries. A Poet Of Both Personal And Political Responsibility, His Work Sensitively Explores Life Under Fascism, Military Defeat And Imprisonment, And The Resurgence Of Extreme Right-wing Politics, As Well As The Roles Played By Love And Friendship In The Survival Of Humanity. The First Substantial Translation Of Sereni's Oeuvre Published Anywhere In The World, The Selected Poetry And Prose Of Vittorio Sereni Is A Unique Guide To This Twentieth-century Poet. A Bilingual Edition, Reissued In Paperback For The Poet's Centenary, It Collects Sereni's Poems, Criticism, And Short Fiction With A Full Chronology, Commentary, Bibliography, And Learned Introduction By British Poet And Scholar Peter Robinson.--publisher's Website. Edited And Translated By Peter Robinson And Marcus Perryman ; With An Introduction By Peter Robinson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [427]-431) And Index. Text In English And Italian.