Nuorese Cultural DistrictPietro Mura (b. Isili, 23 February 1901–d. Nuoro, 16 August 1966) was an Italian poet.
Pietro Mura
Description
Son of a coppersmith from Isili, he dropped out of school to work in his father’s shop. At the same time, he cultivated his passion for poetry independently, reading books by Italian and foreign writers. He learned the Nuoro dialect and other languages through his travels as a tradesman and street vendor. The musicality of the language in his poems was influenced both by his profession and his interaction with different languages. His constant travel and exploration of the hinterland enriched his poetry.
He combined innovative elements in his poems. On the one hand, he focused on language and poetic form, influenced by his uncle’s library. On the other hand, he dealt with contemporary themes, reflecting on the difficulties faced by Sardinia after the war. His poetry evolved from a nostalgic, solemn tone to a freer, more realistic air, gradually abandoning Logudorese for the Nuoro dialect, moving beyond identity claims while still maintaining a strong connection to his native soil.
Mura’s poetry became famous through his participation in the Premio Città di Ozieri, a poetry competition run by the town of Ozieri to promote Sardinian.
He won numerous awards and the support of important cultural figures. After his death, his poems were collected into an anthology by the scholar Nicola Tanda and, in 1969, Gonario Pinna included him in the Antologia dei poeti dialettali nuoresi, for which Mura’s son Antonio translated his work into Italian.