"What do the studies collected in this volume have in common, on such disparate authors as Conte, Palazzeschi, Zanzotto, Caproni, Rosselli, Biagini, some crepuscular poets, Leopardi, Annovi, Giuliani, and even some twentieth century translations of R.M. Rilke? The belief that the poetic word - etymologically 'creative' - generates cognitive perspectives that alter our perception of the world. The reading of poetry does not have an effect confined to the page and at the moment, but affects our relationship with reality, changes it and enriches it in an often unsuspectable and surprising." --Translated from back cover