DR. PIETRO GRIECO
Pietro Grieco – Argentinian writer and a man for all seasons. Pietro writes poetry, fiction, essays and is a leader in spiritual matters in the world as the president of the Foundation for Spiritual Thinking. Dr. Grieco has lived, taught and wrote in Argentina, Italy, the USA and now resides in Spain.
Like Ishmael Reed, Pietro Grieco is a man who has done his work on his own terms, not following the crowds or the fashions of others, and when he felt his calling was in literature, he followed it, when in spirituality, he followed it, but in all cases, it was with the motive of adding something positive to the world.
Last year, in October of 2010, he said he was “surprised” to receive the prestigious Puma the Plata for 2010 (2010 Silver Cougar Poetry Prize), honoring his poetry and his other contributions over the years, from the Argentine Foundation for Poetry. But this is part of his nature, his humility and to never let his ego get the better of him.
Over the years, though he came into contact and was influenced by the work of such writers as: Antonio Machado, Juan Ramon Jimenez, Neruda, Rabindranat Tagore, Federico Garcia Lorca, J. L. Borges, Ungaretti, Montale, T. S. Eliot, Rimbaud, and Rumi among many others.
His other interest in literature, and what guided him at literary congresses and in his readings, was his proposal to include the subject, “Poetry,” and to make it mandatory in all the universities curricular, as it was in China during the T’ang Dynasty. He felt this was especially relevant for people in such technical careers as: architecture, engineering, business, and the sciences, as an inspirational aspect
for their aesthetic education,in order to open new channels of thought and creativity in their respective fields.
His interest in the Chinese model began early in his career; he continued to pursue that into his adulthood.
In diverse magazines he published four studies on Chinese poetry, from its beginning in 2000 BC, to CE 2000. He translated and published some poetry of Tao Yuanming (Also Tao Yuan-ming). From his teens the Chinese poetry influenced his taste for poetry in the sense to wishing to paint the poems. (Poems as images more than words). The Chinese poetry influenced him strongly, as well as others over the years. He was in contact with and influenced by the writings of such writers as: Antonio Machado, Juan Ramon Jimenez, Neruda, Rabindranath Tagore, Federico Garcia Lorca, J. L. Borges, Ungaretti, Montale, T. S. Eliot, Rimbaud, and Rumi among many others.
Pietro Grieco’s work as a poet is included in several anthologies in Argentina, the most important, “POESIA ARGENTINA CONTEMPORANEA”, VOLUME XIII, Buenos Aires, 2001, and the aforementioned Silver Cougar Award in Poetry.
Beside his literary work, Dr. Grieco has worked, since his youth, in spiritual matters. As president, he heads the international
Foundation for the Development of Spiritual Thinking, with chapters around the world. He has also worked with the other spiritual groups in various countries while studying their spiritual traditions.
In his career he has been a professor at universities in Argentina, the United States and has lectured around the world; he has taught courses in literature, spirituality, religion, business, marketing and management.
As I said earlier, Dr. Pietro Grieco is a man for all seasons, a true Renaissance Man, who writes it all.
Dr. Sam Hamod, Editor in Chief, CWPJ
