by Elena Borelli

Giovanni Pascoli (1855–1912) is celebrated as a pioneer of modern Italian poetry, and has been hailed by Seamus Heaney as “one of the greatest poets of all times”. Reflecting the spirit of late 19th-century Italy, his works are influenced by French Symbolism and Decadentism, while also drawing from Italy’s rich classical tradition. His distinctive poetic style features traditional metrical forms, an unusual use of onomatopoeia, and a multilingual vocabulary. His portrayal of nature is filled with eerie imagery and a profound sensitivity.

Convivial Poems (Poemi Conviviali) is named after Il Convito, the literary journal where these poems first appeared. This collection is considered one of Pascoli’s greatest accomplishments. Like T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, James Joyce’s Ulysses, and other contemporary post-modernist works, it revisits the classical world to find new symbols for the modern era. The collection includes twenty poems, each focusing on a classical figure, whether fictional or historical. Figures like Ulysses, Helen of Troy, and Alexander the Great are central to these poems, representing themes such as desire and the search for identity in a modern world lacking divine presence. Written in a style that sometimes mimics Latin and Greek forms, these poems merge the past with the present, blending old and new in a dynamic modernist approach.

THE BOOK

• Convivial Poems by Giovanni Pascoli
• Translated from Italian by Elena Borelli and James Ackhurst
• Original title: Poemi Conviviali (1905)
• 332 pages
• Publisher: Italica Press (2022)
• ISBN: 978-1-59910-435-5
• Treat your bookshelf to a taste of Italy! Order the book here.
• Read reviews here.
• Listen to a reading by James Ackhurst and Elena Borelli on the Translators Aloud channel here.

(See below for an introduction to the connected podcast, “An Ancient Language for a Modern Soul”)

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THE TRANSLATORS

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THE PODCAST

An Ancient Language for a Modern Soul: Poemi Conviviali by Giovanni Pascoli

Soon after the publication, Elena and James began performing readings of the translation. They read the poems at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura in March 2023 and at the Accademia Pascoliana in Italy in July 2023.

These readings were accompanied by the sound of the harp, an instrument that features prominently in Convivial Poems, and read by professional actors. Pianist and composer Giovanni Tardini and harpist Marianne Gubri soon began composing tunes specifically for the poems.

From these performances of music and poetry, Elena Borelli had the idea of creating a podcast, with a view of introducing Convivial Poems to a broader audience in the English-speaking world. The podcast dedicates an episode to each poem, delving into the enthralling tales that inspired Giovanni Pascoli. Esteemed scholars and translators provide lively discussions and invaluable insights. Listeners have the opportunity to experience the poems in English, recited by talented actors and actresses and accompanied by evocative harp music composed for the poems.

The project is ongoing, and is now live with its first seven episodes.

You can listen to it on its website, www.poemiconviviali.com, which contains additional material, such as the original Italian text, and alternative translations, or on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or YouTube.

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