Belli was a Roman dialect poet who captured the
spirit of 19th-century Rome like no one else. Happy birthday, Belli: Rome’s irreverent poet turns 234
Born on 7 September 1791, Giuseppe Gioachino Belli is one of Rome’s most beloved
poets. He wrote over 2,000 “Sonetti romaneschi”, sonnets in Romanesco (the local
dialect), capturing the everyday struggles, customs, humor, beliefs, biases and
superstitions of the Roman people like no one else.
His poems were often cheeky, crude, and satirical. They remain an unforgettable lens
on 19th-century Roman life, especially the people at the margins: market sellers,
beggars, gossipers, priests, and housewives.Belli was born into a middle-class Roman family during a period of significant political
change, like the fall of the Papal States and the Napoleonic era.
He began writing in formal Italian, but after discovering the strength of Roman dialect,
everything changed. Belli chose to write in Romanesco for pleasure rather than fame.
What followed was a flood of verses that were clever, outrageous, and incredibly human.

Belli was born into a middle-class Roman family during a period of significant political change, like the fall of the Papal States and the Napoleonic era. 

He began writing in formal Italian, but after discovering the strength of Roman dialect, everything changed. Belli chose to write in Romanesco for pleasure rather than fame. What followed was a flood of verses that were clever, outrageous, and incredibly human.

Belli’s Romanesco sonnets went beyond poetry. They were social satire and a kind of streetwise history.

He wrote about everything: from the hypocrisy of the clergy to the small concerns of daily life. His sonnets are filled of colorful invective, humor, and realistic depictions of Roman street life and its contradictions.

In fact, generations of writers, artists, and even contemporary Roman poets and comedians have been influenced by his style.

Belli is such a significant figure in Italian literature that there are several places in Rome where you can find his legacy:

• Belli’s statue in Trastevere: a bronze statue of the poet, wearing a top hat and holding a cane, may be found in Piazza Giuseppe Gioachino Belli, just a few steps from Ponte Garibaldi.
• Trastevere and Testaccio: these were the neighborhoods Belli loved to write about. Stroll the streets, listen to the Roman dialect, and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of his sonnets.
• The Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale: it is home to a few of his original manuscripts. Local bookstores also carry translations and updated editions.

Despite writing in the 1800s, Belli's themes (hypocrisy, struggle, joy, and the peculiarities of human nature) remain relevant today. His art celebrates everyday life, which is chaotic, noisy, and contradictory.

If you’re visiting Rome in early September, take a moment to raise a glass (or an espresso) in honor of Giuseppe Gioachino Belli’s birthday on September 7: the Roman poet who gave voice to the people, in the voice of the people.