The Fathers’ America – A Book by Professor Ernesto Livorni

Umbra was excited to welcome Professor Ernesto Livorni to present his new book, “The Fathers’ America” to the Umbra Community. Professor Livorni currently teaches LIAH 370: Leonardo da Vinci: Renaissance Man and Modern Myth at the Umbra Institute.

At the beginning of his presentation, Professor Livorni explained that his poems, though they were written about personal and familial immigration to America, are meant to be identifiable across generations, and across nationalities. They are meant to be relatable to those who may have immigrated to Argentina, Australia, or any other country, as immigrants tend to share a special bond that is instantly understood by anyone who has chosen to leave their homeland, for any of a myriad of reasons, to work his/her way into the society and culture of a new, foreign, unknown location.

The poetry that comprises “The Fathers’ America” was written while Professor Livorni was a PhD student in America, during the mid-late 80s. He had just published his first collection of avant-garde work, in Italy, and wanted to experiment with more traditional poetry using hendecasyllabic and heptasyllabic meter. At this point, he wrote a number of sonnets and, throughout his work, insisted on using quotidian metaphors and ideas that might cross the mind of the average immigrant mine worker or field laborer.

Professor Livorni closed his presentation by reading a number of the poems published in “The Fathers’ America”, including:

Should you be interested in purchasing Professor Livorni’s work, click here.