"Poetry is a weak weapon; a derisory weapon, but it is a weapon that feeds the spirit of resistance." This is the conviction of French art historian and writer Thomas Schlesser at Pordenonelegge, as he presented "Il gatto del giardiniere" (Longanesi).
Following "Gli occhi di Monna Lisa," dedicated to visual art, Schlesser recounted his desire to place at the centre what he considers "the first and most real passion of my life."
"For me, poetry is an existential experience," he explained. In his new book, "poetry and reading are at the service of life," even when they pass through "the dark zones of humanity."
Schlesser insisted on the political nature of poetry: from its very origins, he recalled, poetry has created communities and shared values, even contributing to the birth of languages, as in the case of Dante's vernacular. "It is a weapon for creating a spirit of resistance, for feeling that there are certain values shared with others. A kind of spectre of the other." A function that, according to the writer, emerges with particular force in contexts of war or repression, such as in Ukraine or Iran.
For the French author, the love of poetry did not take root in the classroom — he recounted having been a very poor student — but came by chance, through his encounter with twentieth-century poets. Schlesser also recalled the physical relationship with verse: "When I recite a poem I don't need to make an effort to remember it word for word: it is inside me, in my flesh. Poetry is a space, and the best way to engage with it is to let it inhabit one's body and recite it aloud."
Reproduction reserved © Copyright ANSA
