Memorable Quotes from Massimo Troisi
6 quotesThe Ownership of Poetry and Love
Mario Ruoppolo
My dear poet and comrade, you got me into this mess, you've got to get me out of it. You gave me books to read, you taught me to use my tongue for more than licking stamps. It's your fault if I'm in love.
Pablo Neruda
No, this has nothing to do with me. I gave you my books but I didn't authorize you to steal my poems. If you think you gave Beatrice the poem I wrote for Matilde--
Mario Ruoppolo
Poetry doesn't belong to those who write it, but those who need it.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Beauty of a Smile
Mario Ruoppolo
Your smile spreads like a butterfly.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Reflections on Poetry and Emotion
Pablo Neruda
What do you think?
[after reading a poem]
Mario Ruoppolo
It's weird.
Pablo Neruda
What do you mean, weird? You're a severe critic.
Mario Ruoppolo
No, not your poem. Weird... Weird... how I felt while you were saying it.
Pablo Neruda
How was that?
Mario Ruoppolo
I don't know. The words went back and forth.
Pablo Neruda
Like the sea then?
Mario Ruoppolo
Exactly. Like the sea.
Pablo Neruda
There, that's the rhythm.
Mario Ruoppolo
I felt seasick, in fact.
Pablo Neruda
Because...
Mario Ruoppolo
I can't explain it. I felt like...like a boat tossing around on those words.
Pablo Neruda
Like a boat tossing around on my words? Do you know what you've done, Mario?
Mario Ruoppolo
No, what?
Pablo Neruda
You've invented a metaphor. Yes, you have!
Mario Ruoppolo
Really? But it doesn't count because I didn't mean to.
Pablo Neruda
Meaning to is not important. Images arise spontaneously.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Nobel Prize and Poetic Ambitions
Mario Ruoppolo
If you make this much of a fuss about one poem, you're never going to win that Nobel Prize.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Beauty of Laughter's Sound
Mario Ruoppolo
Your laugh is a sudden silvery wave.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Questioning the Consequences of Breaking Free
Mario Ruoppolo
So what if we break our chains? What do we do then?
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.