This poem is from Eugenio Montale’s last collection Satura, which he finished in 1971; it contains poems written from 1962 to 1970.
It is dedicated to the poet’s wife and lifelong partner, Drusilla Tanzi, (1886-1963), and was written shortly after her death. The poet called her “Mosca” (fly) because she was terribly shortsighted and needed very thick lenses. Montale and Tanzi married in April 1963, just a few months before her death.

Some say that this is the most beautiful love poem ever written; I don’t know if that is true: there are so many beautiful love poems: It is, however, a poem I read often and like to reread often. I thought it was just perfect for today.

In parallel here: https://paralleltexts.blog/2015/03/17/ho-sceso-dandoti-il-braccio-i-descended-with-you-on-my-arm-by-eugenio-montale/

Please find the readings in English and Italian here:

English:

Italian: