The Storm and Other Poems

Very difficult poetry, at least for me. Without translator Arrowsmith's lengthy notes on each poem, I'm afraid I would have been almost utterly at a loss, being capable of responding only to surface meanings and vaguely subterranean surmising. Of the allusiveness, deep meanings and sheer density of these poems, I would only have had a glimmering. Perhaps the opposite of a "glimmering", whatever that is, would be more appropriate. Nonetheless, my command of Italian, weak though it is, is satisfactory enough for me to realize that Arrowsmith, for all his interpretive contribution, is not very successful at capturing the voice. I think I'll try Charles Wright's version.