When,Albino Pierro was a 20th century Italian poet who was twice nominated for the Nobel prize for literature (in 1986 and 1988) despite the relatively narrow nature of his work. He came from a small town in the south of the country called Tursi and much of his later work was written in the local “Lucan” dialect.
His subject matter seemed to be almost exclusively based on his hometown and when nominated for the award many saw it as a controversial move with some literary critics saying that others were more deserving. His memory is preserved in Tursi with many local festivals and events celebrating his work, yet outside of this region his name is less well known.
When by Albino Pierro
And yet I feel content and don’t get tired
of slashing with my fingers through the air,
tarantella-like.
The hands
have the power of a stone
that hisses in a fury once it’s thrown
and crashes into a wall,
but they instead are sharply pointed hammers
that want to dig
to find a voice or spark
within the dark.Ah, these madmen, these madmen
that gnaw
on stones like sugar;
By the armful,
I know,
they should be flung into ravines,
hissing, hissing;
but maybe more stubborn than an ass
that will not budge, even if you kill him,
I still remain here nailed within the hope
of making their eyes glimmer
with a light yearning to undim
the blackness of a cross
there in the mud.
