Extemporaneous Oral Poetry in Central Italy
Giovanni Kezich
A TRADITION of improvized oral poetry is still relatively widespread in the rural areas Tyrrenic side Central Italy.' This tradition, not very well documented specialized literature, based on metre classic Italian chivalric epic poems, an eight-line stanza called ottava rima ('octave rhyme'), as a canvas for improvizing poetry, what usually referred to canto poeta or braccio ('song by poet' 'by arm').2 Extemporaneous poetic creation takes form match between two poets set against each other, contrasto ('contrast arm'), which might be performed private, rather rough wine inns osterie, public, during gara poetica, true 'poetic contest,' where dozen so poets, convened from neighbouring villages, display their skills front jury and often numerous public. These contests are held local halls podium main square, part feast celebration some kind, they successful events, even if complex lengthy procedure would at first quite impenetrable outsider. The octave used dominant classical fifteenth early seventeenth century, there immediate commonsense connection 'golden age' observed today little more than relic. proudly underlined contemporary who seem ignore almost all developments posterior Late Renaissance Early Baroque, but it clearly contradicted changes underwent courts folk usage, that dramatic 'fall' expressive potential sociological connotations. Today's practitioners tradition peasant farmers, shepherds, bricklayers labourers, craftsmen, artisans peddlars, with no school education type literacy class its own. poeti ('poets one per village, sometimes more, generally considered minor personalities, once admired mocked uncommon wits, rhyming extraordinary mnemonic faculties, allow most them retain heart thousands verses. For these few exceptions, performance public tournament goal lifetime's passion, involves extensive study sources, contacts other exercise written composition. Therefore, produced can tip iceberg both oral, extemporaneous sources said ends
Folk-lore