Dario Bellezza--Italy's first openly gay, major prizewinning poet-novelist-playwright--was a bold, daring writer who energetically explored love, sexual transformation, and death. Bellezza embraced a variety of forms, from unabashed love-lyric to political narrative, and the fervor of his voice makes a compelling argument for his lasting importance as one of the most remarkable poets of the late twentieth century. Yet, until now, his work has never been available in English. Award-winning translator Peter Covino offers a wide-ranging selection of representative poetry from Bellezza's career. Influenced by Rimbaud, the Beats, and the growing European gay rights movements, his poetry remains innovative and timely. Ranging from stray cats in the graveyards of Rome, to the literal and metaphoric fallout from the Chernobyl disaster, to the joys and disappointments of random hookups, Bellezza's dazzling visions will sparkle in readers' eyes like sunspots long after they complete this magnificent volume.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press
Published: 02/25/2025
ISBN: 9780299350345
Pages: 232
Weight: 1.00lbs