He was born in
Turin, the son of Fausto Gozzano, an engineer, and of Diodata Mautino, the daughter of Senator Mautino, in pure post-decadent style. In this poem, the author deals with many of his work's usual themes (his health condition, his pessimistic worldview, his yearning to visit far and exotic countries) in his trademark witty and ironic manner. Gozzano's worsening health prompted the decision to travel to
India and
Ceylon, looking for a climate more suited to his breathing impairment. His cruise ship left
Genoa on 16 February 1912, returning in May 1913 after visits to
Colombo and
Bombay. He did not get better, but the travel, together with extensive reading, inspired the texts that were to be collected and posthumously published (in 1917) under the title
Verso la cuna del mondo (lit., "Towards the world's cradle"). The last years of Gozzano's life yielded little literary production. In March 1914, he published on
La Stampa some fragments of the long poem
Le Farfalle (lit. "The butterflies"), also known as
Epistole entomologiche (lit. "Entomological epistles"), which he would never complete. The collection of six
fairy tales he had written for the children's magazine
Corriere dei Piccoli, titled
I tre talismani (lit. "The three talismans"), was also published at this time. An avid
theatre and
movie fan, Gozzano adapted some of his short stories for production. Between 1914 and 1915 he composed a few unremarkable poems about
World War I, which met little success with his audience. In 1916, shortly before his death, Gozzano began writing the script for a film about
Francis of Assisi, which was never filmed. The poet was laid to rest in Agliè. He was an atheist. ==Works==