Background
She was born and died in Milan.
She was born and died in Milan.
Alda Merini was quite young when, as a poet, she gained the attention and the admiration of other Italian writers, such as Giorgio Manganelli, Salvatore Quasimodo and Pier Paolo Pasolini. Her writing style is described as intense, passionate and mystic, and it bears an influence from Rainer Maria Rilke. Some of her poems concern her time in a mental home (1964 to the late 1970s) and are often of a long and dramatic nature.
She explores the "otherness" of madness as part of creative expression.
The poem "The other truth. Diary of a dropout" (L"altra verità Diario di una diversa) is considered by some as her masterpiece, Scheiwiller, 1986.
In 2009 she received Italian Republic for Poetry. Giorgio Napolitano then President of the Italian Republic described her, at her death, as an "inspired and limpid poetic voice."
2004: Milva canta Merini, album of Italian singer Milva.
Music by Giovanni Nuti.
2015: Dio, composition by Francesco Trocchia for female choir and piano. Lyrics by Alda Merini (from Francesco 2007).