Stefano Dal Bianco on Poetry, Academia, and the Strega Prize

Stefano Dal Bianco, poet and professor at the University of Siena, discusses his latest collection 'Paradiso' (Garzanti, 2024), which is a finalist for the 2024 Strega Poesia Prize. The collection, with a title evoking Dante, explores a terrestrial paradise grounded in everyday reality. Dal Bianco, born in Padua in 1961, lives in the province of Siena and teaches Poetics and Stylistics. He has previously published works such as 'Ritorno a Planaval' and 'Prove di libertà'. In the interview, he reflects on the relationship between poetry and turmoil, stating that poetry is 'quiet after turmoil' and that emotions must be decanted before writing. He addresses the tension between his academic work and his poetry, noting that his scholarly studies serve his poetry but that academia often penalizes writers. He curates Andrea Zanzotto's poems for Mondadori. Regarding the Strega Poesia shortlist, he observes that the five finalists—Gian Maria Annovi, Daniela Attanasio, Roberto Cescon, and Giovanna Frene—are very diverse, representing various facets of contemporary Italian poetry. He asserts that Italian poetry is in excellent health and at the top of European literary production, but warns that the internet has led to a loss of editorial filters, making it hard to recognize exceptional voices. He criticizes a trend toward writing 'prosette asettiche' instead of verse and a lack of 'aura' in poetry, which he sees as overly intellectual.