Dialect Poetry of Southern Italy (Italian Poetry in Translation Book 2)

NICOLA GIUNTA

Nicola Giunta was born in Reggio

Calabria in 1895. He was a very prolific

writer and poet, who was very fond of his

city. An opera singer (baritone) trained in

the musical conservatory of Naples, he was

subjected to political persecution. As

Director of the Civic Library of Reggio

Calabria, he knew many intellectuals

(Benedetto Croce, Guido Mazzoni, Raffaele

Corso, Giuseppe Casalinuovo...).

He died in 1968.

Giunta had a strong popular bent,

especially after going back to his native city,

where he became a sort of interpreter of the

critical conscience of the people which,

however, is never elevated to the level of

progressive humanity in his poetry. The

poet’s moralism assails his characters, who