Journal of Italian Translation - Brooklyn College - Academic Home ...

Confronti Poetici / Poetic Comparisons
Section Edited by Luigi Fontanella
The purpose of this “rubrica” is to feature two poets, an
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 Italian and the
English translations, 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.
For this issue I present a poem by Charles Simic and a poem
by Franco Capasso. I would like to thank Irene Marchegiani for her
helpful suggestions.
Charles Simic has been professor of English for many years at
the University of New Hampshire, and author of numerous volumes
of poetry and criticism. His wok has been translated into many
languages. In 1990 his collection of prose poems The World Doesn’t
End (Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich) won the Pulitzer Prize.
Franco Capasso (1934-2006) is one of the most significant Italian
poets of his generation. His many books of poetry include
Germinario (Altri Termini, 1979); Febbre (Ripostes, 1985); Poesie del
fuoco (Marcus Ed., 2000), Dei colori (Marcus Ed., 2004). A monographic
issue of Secondo tempo, edited by Alessandro Carandente,
was recently dedicated to him (n. 27, May 2006).
Luigi Fontanella’s most recent books are Pasolini rilegge Pasolini
(Archinto, 2005), Land of Time. Selected Poems 1972-2003, edited by
Irene Marchegiani (Chelsea, 2006), and L’azzurra memoria. Poesie 1970-
2005 (Moretti & Vitali, 2007). He is the editor of Gradiva, and the
president of IPA (Italian Poetry in America).