"Man cannot produce a single work without the assistance of the slow, assiduous, corrosive worm of thought"

This quote by Eugenio Montale speaks to the importance of thought in the innovative procedure. He likens thought to a "sluggish, assiduous, destructive worm", recommending that it is a slow and steady procedure that can be tough and unpleasant sometimes. Montale is highlighting that idea is necessary to the production of any work, whether it be a painting, a poem, or a piece of music. Without thought, no work can be produced. Thought is the foundation of any imaginative endeavor, and it is the "worm" that gradually and steadily gnaws at the imaginative obstructions that can prevent us from producing our best work. Montale is suggesting that without thought, no work can be produced, which it is necessary to the creative procedure.