Isabella Leardini on Premio Strega Poesia Shortlist with Maniere nere

Isabella Leardini, born in Rimini in 1978, is among the five finalists for the fourth Premio Strega Poesia with her collection Maniere nere, published by Mondadori. In an interview with Artribune, Leardini describes the Strega experience as both incantation and spell, generating intense attention but also controversy. She reflects on the book's central themes: death, non-birth, and the generative power of writing. The title refers to the mezzotint technique, where images emerge from darkness, a metaphor for her poetic process. Leardini's previous works include La coinquilina scalza (Niebo / La Vita Felice, 2004), Una stagione d'aria (Donzelli, 2017), and the essay Domare il drago (Mondadori, 2018). She teaches creative writing at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia, directs the Centro di poesia contemporanea at the Università di Bologna, and edits poetry series for Vallecchi, including the anthology Costellazione parallela. Poetesse italiane del Novecento (2023). She translated Carol Ann Duffy. The interview touches on her slow writing pace—three books in two decades—and her editorial philosophy. The winner of the Premio Strega Poesia will be announced soon.