comic verse

Comic verse in Italian literature, also known as poesia giocoso, stands in contrast to serious love poetry. It often uses unrefined, colloquial language to explore realistic or even scurrilous themes. This tradition has roots in the satirical goliard poets of the 12th and 13th centuries, who wrote Latin verses criticizing enemies or the Church.1

While the personas in comic verse can seem crude, the poets themselves were educated literary figures. Notable comic poets include Rustico di Filippo, known for both courtly and coarse verse, and Cecco Angiolieri, famous for his parodies of idealized love and his father's stinginess. Folgore di San Gimignano is recognized for sonnet cycles detailing aristocratic pleasures, and Cenne della Chitarra for paradoxical negative responses. Even Dante Alighieri engaged in this combative style with his contemporary Forese Donati.1