Recently, the Palazzi Community Center hosted a book reading of "Oltre la linea di marea - in dialogo con Oscar Wilde," written by Paolo Ciampi and Luisa Puttini. People gathered inside of the PCC's Corridoio Fiorentino, with chairs arranged facing the authors, who had left a few books at the entrance for guests to pick up and follow along with the reading. About 20 people found a place in that room, where they listened to poems about resilience, love, friendship, and the human spirit.

The journey into poetry often reveals profound connections between writers and the literary figures who influence them. For Puttini, the inspiration came not from a deep admiration for Oscar Wilde, but from an encounter with his work “De Profundis.”

“I found out that this long letter [De Profundis], that Oscar Wilde wrote to his ex-lover while he was in prison, is full of analysis of the main aspects of human life. Love, friendship, suffering, relationship with nature," Puttini explained, "And he's so deep and so sensitive in what he writes that I felt the need, in some way, to write something which was in tune with what he wrote.”

Puttini’s awakening led to a creative project where she began writing responses to Wilde's feelings, creating a dialogue that transcended time and space. This approach of talking with Wilde through poetry reflects a profound desire for connection. The poet envisioned Wilde not merely as a historical figure, but as a friend navigating similar emotions. This intimate perspective transformed writing into a form of companionship and mutual understanding. It embraces the idea that art, especially poetry, can bridge gaps between souls that have never met each other.

“I felt him as if he was a friend [Oscar Wilde], a friend in difficulties. And so it was a different approach that I had. He wasn't an author, a writer that I liked to read, he was a friend who had this gift of expressing his feelings in a better way than I can do with my poems. It was like a more intimate way to connect with the other,” said Puttini.

The title of the book "Oltre la linea di marea" means Beyond the Tide Line. It encapsulates the metaphor of risk within pursuing a meaningful life. Puttini explains how she lives by a philosophy that embraces sorrow alongside joy, suggesting that true connection with life requires stepping beyond familiar shores, even when it invites suffering. “It is a symbol of resistance. Knowing that you have lived,” she added. 

Luisa Puttini was born in Milan, where she graduated in Foreign Languages ​​and Literature, but has lived in Florence for quite some time. She was an English teacher, and studied English literature. Her marriage to an English colleague brought her even closer to the British world and their renowned artists, such as Oscar Wilde. The combination between Italian and British literary influences significantly shaped Puttini’s artistic voice. She explained how the appreciation for Italian literary giants, such as Eugenio Montale, combined with insights gained from British poets encouraged by an English partner, created a different mix of inspiration. This cross-cultural dialogue enhanced the poet's understanding of Wilde and therefore created a unique response to his themes.

Puttini’s Italian background offered a distinctive lens through which to view Wilde's struggles against social norms. She went on to add, “​​I think that being Italian has made me deeply reject all this terrible story which happened to Oscar Wilde. The fact that in England in that period there was a law which condemned homosexuality, that you could be put into prison for this reason. And also the fact that there was still this difference of social classes, this aristocracy, as his lover and his lover's family had great power.”

When asked about advice to give to students and aspiring poets, Puttini assured that practice played a crucial role in the poet’s work. “Art requires discipline and attention to form,” she said.

The practice of reading poems aloud as a means of assessing rhythm reinforces the idea that poetry is not just an intellectual work but a performative art. Ultimately, this practice leads to personal reflections on healing and spirituality. That is Puttini’s personal experience. “I think that there is a part in writing poetry which comes from the depth of your feelings. A part which is observation of details, people, aspects of nature, items… because poems must have a rhythm. It is like music in some way”

Luisa Puttini found comfort and strength in Wilde's ideas about the afterlife, imagining a shared love that goes beyond personal pain. This spiritual aspect, which differs from religious aspects, brings a sense of hope and connection to her work, showing that poetry can help for both personal healing and universal understanding.

For more information on the Palazzi Community Center, please visit the website. Also, please join us at the next book reading, entitled: Letture in Giardino: "Ho bevuto una pozione di lacrime di Sirena" on October 29 at 6:30 pm.