Poetry in Translation
Short Videos of Two Translating Poets
Working tech for Café Muse affords me the opportunity to work with some of the finest poets and once a year gives me the privilege of working with Barbara Goldberg who leads the annual Poetry in Translation program. Last Monday’s program offered up two fine translators and an excellent discussion of the work. In case you missed it, you can see the entire program on the Café Muse YouTube Channel.
Poet Jona Colson read his translations of the work of Uruguayan author Miguel Avero, specifically from his book, Aguas/Waters. Jona provided a sound recording of Avero reading a poem before introducing the English translation. Here’s the poem Choice which struck me as particularly relevant to our present time. Hear Miguel read the poem first, then Jona.
Perhaps more poignant for our times is the poetry of Night by Ennio Moltedo which explores life under Chilean dictator, Augusto Pinochet. Moltedo’s work is in the form of prose poems, titled only by numbers. Spoken in translation by Marguerite Feitlowitz, here is #21.
These spare words tell a story of what happens when democracy gives way to authoritarianism.
The Other Side of Mind
Here’s a shout-out to the online literary magazine, Mid Atlantic Review that recently published my poem The Other Side of Mind. It’s an homage to the automatic nervous system. Not being a poet confined to the page, I always enjoy putting something multi-media together whenever a new one comes out. Here is a video reading of the poem. You can read the text of the poem on the Mid Atlantic website.
Coming Up
August 11, 2024 at 5:00 pm. Luther Jett, Elizabeth Bruce and Claudia Gary reading at My Dead Aunt’s Books, 5132 Baltimore Avenue (Route 1) in Hyattsville, Maryland.
August 17, 2024 at 1:00 pm. Poetry Open Mic at the New Deal Cafe, 113 Centerway, Greenbelt, Maryland.
August 24, 2024, Poetry & Music Open Mic, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Brookside Gardens Visitor Center Auditorium.
As always, feel free to email me with questions or comments at henrycrawfordpoetry@gmail.com. Stay creative!
If you’d like me to list an upcoming poetry event in Everyday Poet, please let me know by emailing me at henrycrawfordpoetry@gmail.com. Use the subject: “Coming Up”.