Poetry Rules

Art has inspired a lot of lines lately. Chagall, Caravaggio, Carrington are just a few painters on whose works I wrote some poems in the past few days. I woke up to Van Gogh's Chair this morning. I don't even know what inspired the thought, but I felt compelled to write a poem in its honor. I like the way objects can drive emotions. I like when I can breathe some life into them. I swear, I love the way my Muse incites me to write some days!

Leonora and I have been busy "conversing" lately. Her self-Portrait has been "talking" to me. The more I look at it, the more secrets I discover about this rebel artist. It makes me want to live in that room. It makes me want to talk to the hyena as her mane flutters in the air. It makes me want to ride the rocking horse. It makes me want to wear her buttoned boots and sit on her blue Victorian chair. It makes me want to flee through the stage into the world out there. It makes me want to write about revolutions. Because Leonora Carrington was a revolutionary woman. And yes, you guessed right: this picture is inspiring a poem. And, it also welcomes you each time you pay a visit to my blog .

Marc Chagall has always been a favorite and, just until a few hours ago, despite being an art lover, I must confess that I had never heard of Divisionist painter Giuseppe Cominetti. I find hard to say why I felt so drawn to the latter's painting "I conquistatori del sole" (The Conquerors of the Sun) upon seeing it. I guess there is an incendiary touch to it that really works for me. Chagall's "The Revolution", which was in a way his Mona Lisa, a painting that he considered the quintessence of his work and that never left his home in Provence, inspires me in the same way. The main character, indeed Lenin, is a man torn between two worlds: the political and social commitment of the Revolution on one side and the free play of human imagination and art on the other. These two worlds merge in most of my poems. Time to go back to words!                                           ...

I am incredibly grateful to Csaba Polony editor of LEFT CURVE for having included my poem "SoMA Blues" in the latest issue of his prestigious magazine. I wrote this poem during my 3 weeks stay in San Francisco in August 2010, at the time I met Jack Hirschman in Caffè Trieste . The poem was inspired by the homeless people in the area of South Market that I met as I was walking along Market Street one day. I was very touched by what my eyes witnessed.  Next April 29th at 5:00 pm there will be a celebration for the release of the magazine at City Lights Books , don't miss it of you are in town! You can read my poem here below. Ringrazio infinitamente Csaba Polony per aver incluso la mia poesia "SoMa Blues" nella sua prestigiosa rivista LEFT CURVE . Ho scritto questa poesia a San Francisco durante la mia permanenza di 3 settimane nell'agosto 2010, all'epoca in cui conobbi Jack Hirschman a Caffè Trieste . Ad ispirare questa poesia sono stati i senzatet...

I met Daniele Ferroni a little over a year ago in Bologna , where I had traveled in order to interview Jack for the biography I am writing. Daniele is a photographer and he has a small publishing house where he  produces poetry art books in limited number of copies. He is a generous soul and, knowing that I work as a translator, he pomptly involved me in his project THREE, a poetry art book with 3 poems by Jack. This masterpiece is now ready and I am so pleased to have received my copies just yesterday. The book is printed on special paper and it also contains 2 black & white pictures of Jack and 2 etchings made specifically for this work by artist Federico Guerri . A plexiglas case contains the book. I do feel thankful for my translations being part of such a beautiful art work! Ho incontrato Daniele Ferroni circa un anno fa a Bologna, dove mi ero recata per intervistare Jack per la biografia che sto scrivendo. Daniele è un fotografo di origini romagnole che ha una ...

I wish to thank my publisher, Edizioni Ensemble, and Matteo in particular, for having published my bilingual chapbook in just 3 months and for selecting the lovely Cantina Paradiso in Trastevere as the setting for the book launch of GUERRILLA BLUES on April 12. And, all my gratitude goes to Rome's Revolutionary Poets Brigadistas, Olga Campofreda, Marco Cinque, Ludovica Lanini and Angelo Zabaglio for presenting me and for reading and performing my poems so beautifully. A special thanks to my friend, actor Maximilian Nisi, for reading the poem "Consistency" so theatrically. A heartfelt thanks to everyone of you who took part and to all of you who bought the book. I hope you'll love it. Desidero ringraziare il mio editore, Edizioni Ensemble, ed in modo particolare Matteo, per aver pubblicato il mio libro in soli 3 mesi e per aver scelto la deliziosa Cantina Paradiso  in quel di Trastevere per la presentazione di GUERRILLA BLUES, lo scorso 12 aprile. Tutta la mia grat...

April is not the cruellest month. Indeed not. Especially if one is celebrating this month dedicated to poetry in so many poetical ways as the undersigned. I am currently busy putting together the final version of an Anthology of 10 poets known as Rome's Revolutionary Poets Brigade, editing, translating and making sure it will be ready by April 10th. I am so very grateful to John for all the help. I am also occupied with the book launch of my book, Guerrilla Blues , next Thursday, April 12 at 6:30 pm, in a lovely and cosy place in Trastevere, Cantina Paradiso , just a few steps away from the   Church of San Francesco a Ripa , hosting a beautiful Ecstasy  by Bernini . The Brigade poets will be reading my poems as well as my dear friend, Maximilian . How I wish all of my friends from all over the world could attend, not to mention John! The place would be crammed, but it would be truly wonderful. Last but not least, I am writing a poem a day (at least) just to celebrate this...