born Feb. 10, 1888, Alexandria, Egypt
died June 1, 1970, Milan, Italy
Egyptian-Italian poet.
He lived in Alexandria until he was 24, and the desert regions of Egypt provide recurring images in his work. While studying in Paris, he was strongly influenced by the poets of the Symbolist movement . He was the founder of Hermeticism , which began with his Il porto sepolto (1916; "The Buried Port") and brought about a reorientation in modern Italian poetry. Though experimental, his poetry developed in a coherent direction in Allegria di naufragi (1919; "Gay Shipwrecks") and later collections. After World War II his works became more structured and acquired a more straightforward tone.