Poetry and translation

Not many people know this about me, but I’m a big fan of poetry. In fact, my M.A. thesis was a study of poetry from the Veneto region, with a selection of dialect poems translated into Italian and Dutch. I might eventually publish a few here. Let me know if you’re interested!

Poetry is not an easy genre. It’s often misunderstood. Many are convinced that poetry is so deeply entrenched in its language that it can’t be translated. I personally believe that poetry and translation are not mutually exclusive. A poem can be translated, but it will lose some of its original flair, tone and cultural richness. There’s no way around it. However, a translation does not simply take away key elements, it can add to them. Maybe a sound effect is lost in translation, but another one can be introduced, creating an entirely new dimension. The translation takes on a life of its own, based on the words and feelings conveyed in the original text and on the interpretation of the translator, which can be entirely different from the ideas the poet had intended to communicate. As such, translation equals co-creation.

Translating poetry is an art. It requires a thorough knowledge not only of the language, but also of the place where the poem took form, the circumstances when it was produced, the poet’s life and personality. Stylistics can also be tricky. I remember having a heated discussion with my tutor because I claimed that rhyme was an intrinsic part of the poems and, where possible, it had to be preserved in the translation. She disagreed, but I did things my way and I was quite happy with the final result.

To this day, poems are my favourite texts to translate. I’m not sure whether it’s the challenge of preserving both form and content, albeit in a different context, or the deeper meaning behind such texts, but there is something about poems that intrigues me. Poetry needn’t be abstract, boring or difficult to comprehend. Poetry is a window to the soul. With some time and effort, even the most "complicated" of poems can be translated, or rather, moulded into a new, exciting version to be enjoyed in a different linguistic and cultural context. Remember, as a translator you shouldn’t feel trapped, but free to explore and create.