Luigi Di Ruscio, born in Fermo in 1930, remains one of the most underrated voices of Italian literature. His life and work reflect a rare combination of determination, linguistic inventiveness, and a deep connection to his roots, even as he spent decades abroad. Though largely unknown outside the Marche region, his character offers a unique window into both the human condition and the Fermo of the mid-20th century.
Early Life: From Rural Hardship to Literary Passion
Growing up in pre-WW2 rural Italy, and living his adolescence through the times of war, Di Ruscio faced significant hardships. Formal schooling was limited. His family was poor. Yet, since a young age he felt the need to communicate through the written word to regurgitate his thoughts about his life and his surroundings. He taught himself literature and poetry, immersing himself in Italian classics, European modernists, and even foreign works. This self-directed study laid the foundation for his distinctive voice, that would blend Italian, Fermo dialect, and even some invented words.
Pursuing Writing Amidst Life’s Challenges
In his early years, Di Ruscio traveled to Rome as a young man, and connected with the Italian literary scene of the time. He met established writers and poets, studied contemporary trends, and managed to get his first works published. His persistence highlighted his determination to pursue literature, despite coming from a background far removed from the cultural centers of Italy.
Life Abroad: Oslo and the Evolution of Language
Later, Di Ruscio relocated to Oslo, Norway, where he worked in a factory, got married to a Norwegian woman and raised a family. His time abroad was formative. He continued writing maniacally, developing a unique vocabulary that constantly evolved, a mix of Italian, his native dialect, and neologisms. This linguistic inventiveness made his works unlike anything else in Italy at the time.
sognavo di essere in un ascensore
che precipitava continuamente
alla fine mi scaraventa
nel reparto dove ho lavorato
ecco l’inferno spalancato
che ho attraversato tutti i giorni
per quaranta anni rimanendo incolume
nonostante avessero programmato
la mia morte per la vita loroLUIGI DI RUSCIO, L’IDDIO RIDENTE, ZONA 2008. Read more on Poetarum Silva.
I dreamed I was in an elevator
that kept falling endlessly
in the end it threw me
into the factory floor where I worked
there it is, the hell wide open
that I crossed every day
for forty years coming out
safe,
even though they had planned
my death to sustain their lives
“Cristi Polverizzati”: A Window into Human Frailty
One of Di Ruscio’s most remarkable works is Cristi Polverizzati, which captivated me for its unusual vocabulary and fluid style. The book is both a meditation on human vulnerability and a reflection of a Fermo that had changed during his absence. Through his writing, he captures the tension between memory and transformation, illustrating how deeply place shapes identity. For further commentary on his style and themes, see Le parole e le cose and Nazione Indiana.
Parto difficilissimo, spesso si nasce venendo stritolati, lo shock dell’aria freddissima rispetto al calore del ventre materno, la luce vivissima, i rumori assordanti, la poesia retrocede verso la prima angoscia […]
A really hard birth,
you often come into the world being crushed,
the shock of freezing air after the warmth of the womb,
the blinding light, the deafening noises, poetry pulls back toward that first anguish…
Return to Italy: A Changed Fermo
Upon returning to his homeland, Di Ruscio noticed that the city and its people had changed. The Fermo he knew as a child had evolved. People spoke differently, acted differently, and this contrast between past and present influenced much of his later writing. His works, therefore, are a literary and ethnographic record of a region in transition.
Legacy: Passion, Determination, and Literary Innovation
Though Luigi Di Ruscio never received widespread recognition, his story is a testament to resilience and obsession towards creativity. His works remain a valuable resource for understanding Italian poetry beyond the mainstream, offering insights into personal struggle, cultural identity, and the transformative power of language.