Lionello Grifo
Encyclopedia
Lionello Grifo Italian
poet
and writer
, born in Rome
in 1934 by parents who were both Italian government
officials, nominated at the unanimity "Premio della Cultura 2004 della Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri" (Prize for Culture 2004 from the Presidency of the Italian Ministries Council) "for his outstanding, prestigious contribution to the field of Poetry
". He started his working life in the world of politics and the press. He holds a PhD in Political and Social Sciences (Brussels
, 1958) and has worked as a translator and interpreter in Luxembourg
, Brussels and Geneva
. After a second successful career in international marketing and consultancy he retired in 1982 for 15 years to Southern Spain
to concentrate on his literary interests. He writes from the age of 17 but published his first book in 1980: "Sottovoce, parole in cerca di musica" (Whispering, words in search of music), E.T.L., Turin. It was followed by "La Mia Poesia", Novograf, Murcia 1989 in Italian with English and Spanish translation, which was presented to the International Poetry Week Festival in San Francisco in 1989 and won the "Genti and Paesi" (People and Countries) International Poetry Prize 1990; "Polglosem", Warszawa 1990, Polish translation with parallel text in Italian; "Sottovoce, poesia come musica" (Whispering, Poetry as Music)and "Sempre Sottovoce, poesia come vita" (Always whispering, Poetry as Life), Fiorina, Sion 1992; "My Poetry", Book Guild, London
1993 in English
and Spanish translation with parallel text in Italian; "Regazo susurrante de poesía", Universidad de Murcia 1997; "Tu che mi tacci di poeta impudico", MEF L'autore Libri, Florence
2004, which has been presented in June 2004 at the Italian Literature
students at the University of Luxembourg
with a lecture titled "50 years of Poetry: Elisir of Infinity". His work has been widely reviewed in UK and in the United States and translated by the italianists of the University of Stanford, California
; Warsaw
University, Poland
and Seville
University, Spain
. He has given poetry readings at American and European Universities. He is a life-long member of Rome's Dante Alighieri Society
.
(source: http://www.lionellogrifo.com with the permission of the author)
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, born in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1934 by parents who were both Italian government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
officials, nominated at the unanimity "Premio della Cultura 2004 della Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri" (Prize for Culture 2004 from the Presidency of the Italian Ministries Council) "for his outstanding, prestigious contribution to the field of Poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
". He started his working life in the world of politics and the press. He holds a PhD in Political and Social Sciences (Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, 1958) and has worked as a translator and interpreter in Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, Brussels and Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. After a second successful career in international marketing and consultancy he retired in 1982 for 15 years to Southern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
to concentrate on his literary interests. He writes from the age of 17 but published his first book in 1980: "Sottovoce, parole in cerca di musica" (Whispering, words in search of music), E.T.L., Turin. It was followed by "La Mia Poesia", Novograf, Murcia 1989 in Italian with English and Spanish translation, which was presented to the International Poetry Week Festival in San Francisco in 1989 and won the "Genti and Paesi" (People and Countries) International Poetry Prize 1990; "Polglosem", Warszawa 1990, Polish translation with parallel text in Italian; "Sottovoce, poesia come musica" (Whispering, Poetry as Music)and "Sempre Sottovoce, poesia come vita" (Always whispering, Poetry as Life), Fiorina, Sion 1992; "My Poetry", Book Guild, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
1993 in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Spanish translation with parallel text in Italian; "Regazo susurrante de poesía", Universidad de Murcia 1997; "Tu che mi tacci di poeta impudico", MEF L'autore Libri, Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
2004, which has been presented in June 2004 at the Italian Literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
students at the University of Luxembourg
University of Luxembourg
thumb|Campus LimpertsbergThe University of Luxembourg is the only university in Luxembourg, founded on 13 August 2003. Prior to that, there were several higher educational institutions such as the cour universitaire or the IST that offered one or two years of academic studies...
with a lecture titled "50 years of Poetry: Elisir of Infinity". His work has been widely reviewed in UK and in the United States and translated by the italianists of the University of Stanford, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
; Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
University, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
University, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. He has given poetry readings at American and European Universities. He is a life-long member of Rome's Dante Alighieri Society
Dante Alighieri Society
The Dante Alighieri Society is a society that promotes the Italian culture and language around the world.It was formed in Italy in July 1889. The society was named after Dante Alighieri , a pre-Renaissance poet from Florence and the author of The Divine Comedy...
.
(source: http://www.lionellogrifo.com with the permission of the author)