Journal of Italian Translation

Confronti Poetici/
Poetic Comparisons
Section Edited by Luigi Fontanella
The purpose of this “rubrica” is to feature two poets, an American or
Italian-American and an Italian, who in the opinion of the Editor share
affinities or embody different approaches to poetry. The editor will select
one poem for each poet and provide both the English and the Italian translation
thus acting as a bridge between them. In this manner two poets,
whose approach to poetry may be quite different, will be conversing through
the translator.
Luigi Fontanella is Professor of Italian at Stony Brook University.
His most recent books are Azul (Archinto, 2001); La parola transfuga (Cadmo,
2003); I racconti di Murano di Italo Svevo (Empiria, 2004); Pasolini rilegge
Pasolini (Archinto, 2005). He is the editor of Gradiva, and the president of
IPA (Italian Poetry in America).
Valerio Magrelli’s most recent books are Didascalie per la lettura di un
giornale (Einaudi, 1999), and Nel condominio di carne (Einaudi, 2003). In
2002 he was awarded the Feltrinelli Prize for Italian poetry. Magrelli is
Professor of French Literature at the University of Cassino.
Robert Viscusi is Professor of English and American Literature at
Cuny- Brooklyn College, where he has directed the Wolfe Institute for the
Humanities since 1982. His most recent books are the novel Astoria (Guernica
1995, winner of the American Book Award in 1996, a collection of poems: A
New Geography of Time (Guernica, 2004), and Buried Caesars and Other Secrets
of Italian American Writing (Suny Press, 2006).