But poets were not considered dangerous and they were advised to exercise self-censorship. At most, poets were requested not to write at all. I took advantage of this negative liberty.

Mass communication, radio, and especially television, have attempted, not without success, to annihilate every possibility of solitude and reflection.

There is also poetry written to be shouted in a square in front of an enthusiastic crowd. This occurs especially in countries where authoritarian regimes are in power.

Today not even a universal fire could make the torrential poetic production of our time disappear. But it is exactly a question of production, that is, of hand-made products which are subject to the laws of taste and fashion.

Poetry is the art which is technically within the grasp of everyone: a piece of paper and a pencil and one is ready.

Slowly poetry becomes visual because it paints images, but it is also musical: it unites two arts into one.

This proves that great lyric poetry can die, be reborn, die again, but will always remain one of the most outstanding creations of the human soul.