The Poetry of Menotti Lerro

Book excerpt: Menotti Lerro is one of the most interesting poets of modern-day Europe. Born in a small village just outside of Salerno, Southern Italy, in 1980, he has produced an impressive range of publications, including essays, poetry, fiction, autobiography, and drama. His is a poetry concerned with powerful imagery, the physicality and vulnerability of the body, the meaning of objects, the interpretation of memories, and the philosophical importance of identity. For the first time, the rich colours and textures of Lerro’s verse are available in English. This volume presents the power of the poet’s voice in all its aching magnificence and demonstrates how it represents the sounds and rhythms of a new generation.