“Would you like some coffee, perhaps a pastry?
The pain we inflicted on each other, the emptiness we left behind.“
Excerpt from the poem “Banalities” (Coffee Stains on My Books, Stefania Lucchetti, 2024)
Purchase the book to read the full poem.
Image: Café Terrace at Night, Vincent Van Gogh, 1888
“Banalities” is a poem that delves into the superficiality of social conventions, revealing their interplay with an intense and complex story of love, pain, and loss. The dialogue between the protagonists is casual, almost formal, yet beneath these polite phrases lies a world of unspoken emotions. The poem plays on two levels: on one side, the contrast between the conventional, almost sterile language of the ex-lovers’ small talk over coffee, and on the other, the emotional turbulence simmering below the surface, evoking a past love that left deep scars.
The opening questions—“How are you? / It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other. / It’s nice to see you”—set the detached tone of a meeting where courtesy takes precedence over authenticity. Yet, every formal word conceals an unspoken thought. As the protagonists discuss their current lives—marriages, children, and careers—memories of a disruptive past love resurface in their minds.
The poem alternates between everyday details—such as a comment about the café where they meet—and flashbacks of vivid, powerful emotions. These memories, which intrude on their thoughts, show that what once was cannot simply be erased, even though it remains unspoken in the present moment, where the conversation stays anchored to banalities.
I thought of sharing this poem during the pre-holiday season, a time when we often re-establish contact with distant acquaintances to exchange greetings. These conversations often remain superficial, avoiding complex topics or deep emotions. But what if we went beyond the “How are you?” Often, formal conversations help mask emotions and thoughts. Rote phrases, while reassuring and socially convenient, can provide a useful refuge to avoid reopening old wounds. Yet sometimes, they become a way to elude the vulnerability of authentic communication, where genuine dialogue can take place. The past cannot be erased but can be embraced, bridging who we were with who we are today, fostering a deeper understanding of ourselves in the present.
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New Update
I’m thrilled to share that I have been included in the prestigious Italian Poetry organization. Italian Poetry is renowned for its rigorous selection criteria. Its mission is to anthologize modern and contemporary Italian poetry, starting from poets born in the early 20th century and active in the decades that followed. The Cultural Committee unanimously approved my inclusion. My biographical profile, along with a selection of my poems in both English and Italian, can be found here: https://www.italian-poetry.org/stefania-lucchetti/
Visit my new website: www.stefanialucchetti.it, thanks to the fantastic work of the Square Marketing team.
Award for the poem My Body
On December 1, 2024, I had the honor of being awarded by OTMA 2 in the Agenda dei Poeti competition for my unpublished poem My Body, which will be included in my next collection.
Upcoming Events:
- Interview on StoryTime, Radio Canale Italia: Airing December 13
- Interview on the TV program Se Scrivendo (Caos Film, aired on Sky): Recording December 14
