Pierluigi Cappello: The Forgotten Poet of Friuli

Pierluigi Cappello (1967-2017) was a prominent Italian poet of contemporary times. He was born in Gemona and experienced the impact of the 1976 Friuli earthquake, leading to a decade spent in a prefabricated home. A motorcycle accident at the age of sixteen resulted in paralysis and the loss of a friend. After leaving sports, he began writing in both Italian and Friulian. Although he studied literature at the University of Trieste, he did not complete his degree. His initial poetry collection, Ecce homo (1989), was later rejected by him. He published works such as Le nebbie (1994), La mela di Newton (1998), and La misura dell'erba, earning acclaim. In 1999, he received the Città di San Vito prize and co-founded La barca di Babele. His collection Mandate a dire all'imperatore earned the Viareggio-Rèpaci Prize in 2010. Shortly before his passing, he was granted state assistance under the Bacchelli Law.