A poetry book by the Italian writer Serena Piccoli.
Temporally composed between 2019-2022, punctuated with socio-political, cultural and linguistic shifts, and wry wordplay, gulp\gasp navigates the complexities within Italy, the British Isles, Zanzibar, and Europe, journalistically drawing on interviews, reports, photographs, essays and articles. Though formally witty, playful and punningly provocative, each piece packs a hard punch; and as such, serves as a powerful tool for raising awareness.
Adeena Karasick - poet, professor and essayist.
Praise for the book:
"Serena Piccoli's poetry is a hammer seeking to beat imperialist swords into ploughshares. Her harvest? A human compassion that crosses lines of gender, nation, and socioeconomic class. A reminder that the world is ours if we grow in peace and justice. Her poems cut with an incisive wit - - each line a blade separating the wheat from the chaff - - the truth from the bullshit excreted from the mouths of the powerful. Women, the exploited, the persecuted ethnic minorities, those affected by environmental destruction and imperialism, these are the people she values - - these are the people she stands with."
David Romero, poet and performer
"Piccoli's poetry kicks ass and stomachs"
Gabor Gyukics, poet and Hungarian Beat Poet Laureate
"Serena's poetry is a slap of light. Her poetry is refined, intense, generous, it is inside our world, a world that fights for freedom, that cannot stand self-righteous moralisms, a greedy world that is going towards its catastrophe. Her words have a smiling voice, they cause restorative insomnia in those who are indifferent."
Sandro Sardella, poet and painter
"Her overflowing creativity, her commitment to social justice, her subtle irony and bitterness along with her imaginary poetic visions are all present in her poems. Her message is urgent and brave. She is a voice of this world, a voice that attracts our attention on social and political issues that we all must face. The poem "we're the best\fuck the rest" is bold and daring. We should all listen to what Serena screams. Beyond all this commitment lies a delicate and pure soul that moves the reader."
Ani Bradea, poet and journalist
