W. S. Di Piero is an acclaimed American poet, essayist, translator, and educator whose work is shaped by his upbringing in a working-class Italian-American neighborhood in South Philadelphia. He has published over ten poetry collections, five books of essays, and numerous translations, often drawing from both everyday speech and classical art to craft vivid, emotionally resonant work. Di Piero’s poetry reflects a raw, observational style, praised for its rhythm, intensity, and connection to place. Over his career, he's become the recipient of major honors including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a NEA grant, and the 2012 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize for lifetime achievement.
This week, we explored two of his newest works Burning Money and Inside the Box from Unbound Edition Press. Blending poetry, memory, and visual art, Di Piero reflects on family, faith, politics, and American culture through a deeply personal and formal lens. In this intimate conversation, he reads vivid and moving poems like "To a Friend Sick Again", "Edward Hopper (Yellow and Red)", and "Aubade" sharing stories behind their creation and his process of writing with “his whole body.” We discuss the influence of painters like Morandi and Hopper, the tension between politics and poetry, and how a poet’s eye learns to truly see—on the canvas and in the world.
Join us as we dive into Di Piero’s poetry and reflect on how his encounters with art, history, and belief influence and enrich his creative voice.
This is W. S. Di Piero Unbound.
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