The Stephen Spender Prize for poetry in translation 2020 - in association with
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The Stephen Spender Prize
for poetry in translation 2020
in association withThe Stephen Spender Prize 2020 for poetry in translation
in association with The Guardian
Winners and commended
14-and-under
Commended
Vishal Saha
‘When we were kids’
by Mario Benedetti
(Uruguayan Spanish)
Maddie Stoll
‘Hope’
First Second Third by Ai Qing (Chinese)
Hannah Kripa Jordan Grace Wu Caroline-Olivia Edwards Omar Ullah
‘And Yet – Our Tamil Life’ ‘muse of the moon’ ‘Versos Sencillos, Verso III’ ‘Lest they say something’
by Manushya Puthiran by Li Bai by José Martí by Kamini Roy (Bangla)
(Tamil) (Chinese) (Cuban Spanish)
16-and-under
Commended
Matilda Stepek
‘Passions of a Ghostly Fury’
by Ovid (Latin)
Gabriela O’Keeffe
‘Tears for America’ (extract)
by Michael Davitt (Irish)
First Second Third
Megan Turtle Alessandro d’Attanasio Alice Garcia Kalmus
‘Do not leave your room’ ‘Saturday in the village’ ‘I write against an open window’
by Joseph Brodsky by Giacomo Leopardi by Mario Quintana
(Russian) (Italian) (Brazilian Portuguese)
18-and-under
Commended
Vassil Gilbert
‘A short summer night’
by Yosa Buson (Japanese)
Jasper Maughan
‘Stay’
by Rainald Simon (German)
First Second Third
Maryam Zaidi Olivia Flint Isobel Birkeland Cosima Deetman
‘The Lemons’ ‘The Schoolchildren’ ‘Writing rhymes with ‘Cyber Insomnia’
by Eugenio Montale by Pedro Serrano Sir Ishii’ by Martin Piekar (German)
(Italian) (Mexican Spanish) by Qiu Jin (Chinese)
Open
Commended
Oliver Fallon
‘Conception of a New God’
(verses 1.33-47)
by Kālidāsa (Sanskrit)
Peter Frankopan
‘The Night of the Falling Apples’
First Second Third by Bella Akhmadulina (Russian)
Stuart Lyons Marta Ciechanowicz Ben Fergusson
Christopher MacDonald
‘Wild West Cambridge ‘The Joy of Writing’ ‘dust’
‘Twelve Todays’
at Dusk’ by Wisława Szymborska by Nadja Küchenmeister
by Temu Suyan (Taiwanese Mandarin)
by Xu Zhimo (Chinese) (Polish) (German)First-time entrant commendations
Fiona Garratt Lorna Amor Mark Grainger
‘Colours’ ‘The one who speaks’ ‘The Evolution of Mankind’
by Cécile Coulon by Ling Yu by Erich Kästner
(French) (Taiwanese Mandarin) (German)
Polish Spotlight 10-and-under
winners and
commended
winner Commended
Aaron Ferguson Maximilian Hempler
‘From dog to dog flea bobs’ ‘A sawfish’
by Zbigniew Machej by Łukasz Dębski
14-and-under
Winner Commended
Alexander Fletcher Michaela Konkolewska-Grybė
‘Opposing Winds’ ‘Tea Party’
by Tomasz Różycki by Agnieszka Frączek
18-and-under
Winner Commended Commended
Hanna Kisiala Skye Slatcher Patrick Lynch
‘Homecoming’ ‘And that’s why’ ‘A song about the end of the world’
by Bronisław Maj by Adam Zagajewski by Czesław Miłosz
1Introduction to the Stephen Spender Prize 2020
2020 was always set to be a year of change for the
Stephen Spender Prize. We aimed to diversify
the languages represented and to increase entries from young
especially grateful to our judges Khairani Barokka, Mary
Jean Chan, Daljit Nagra and Antonia Lloyd-Jones for a lively
and warm judging process, to our new prize coordinator
people and emerging translators. To that end, we planned Jamie Lee Searle, to SST’s trustees and patrons, and to
two new categories (16-and-under and first-time entrants), the prize’s funders the Rothschild Foundation, Polonsky
booklets of suggested poems in multiple languages, and a Foundation, Old Possum’s Practical Trust, Sackler Trust,
guide for new translators. But we could not have anticipated and Redcase Ltd.
the real change that the prize underwent this year, as it We received a record number of entries this year, tangible
adapted to life amidst a pandemic. Thanks to the support proof that poetry can sustain and inspire through difficult
of our remarkable community of translators and poets, and times. This was particularly marked in the youth categories,
new funding from Arts Council England, we were able to with more than double last year’s figure, and in the 80
transform the prize into a virtual programme that brought languages represented across all categories. The thirty-three
the joy of poetry translation to isolated young people and translators and seventeen languages in these pages reflect the
adults. Through video masterclasses and live illustration, vitality and diversity of those entries, and we’re delighted
remote workshops and lesson plans, we beamed international to be able to award more prizes than ever before. We hope
poetry into virtual classrooms and into homes, ensuring that that, just as for those working on their prize entries during
this border-crossing, collaborative activity could be shared spring and summer 2020, this booklet enables readers to travel
by as many people as possible during lockdown. vicariously to new lands and to hear new voices.
Translators and poets from across the world were hugely
generous with their time and advice, sharing ideas and Charlotte Ryland
contributing texts to be included in our resources. I’m Director of the Stephen Spender Trust
Outstanding Teachers 2020
T he large numbers of youth entries
this year are due in particular to
the encouragement and commitment of
teachers and schools this year are:
Nadia Siddiqui
in the open category have been
generously donated by Faber & Faber
The Westgate School, Slough and Nine Arches Press.
teachers across the UK, who went out The teachers were also invited to
Sabine Pichout and colleagues
of their way during school closures to nominate students to participate in a
Swavesey Village College,
enable and encourage their students to workshop for this year’s youth winners
Cambridgeshire
enter the prize. and commendees, which we ran for the
This year we are delighted to intro- Kilda Giraudon and colleagues first time this year. We’re grateful to
duce a new set of awards, to recognise Colyton Grammar School, Devon SST patron Kate Clanchy, who gave a
teachers who show particular commit- Book prizes for these teachers and for workshop on multilingual poetry for
ment to the prize. Our outstanding our first-time-entrant commendations the young translators.
2Judges’ commentary – Khairani Barokka
It was a treat to read the have a special category commending Alessandro d’Attanasio wins second
entries for this year’s first-time entrants. This year, those for Giacomo Leopardi’s ‘Saturday
Stephen Spender Prize. commendations go to Fiona Garratt in the village’ (Italian), sensitively
There was a significant for Cécile Coulon’s ‘Colours’ (French), conjuring up ‘a day full of joy’, and
increase in submissions Lorna Amor for Ling Yu’s ‘The one Alice Garcia Kalmus takes third for
from last year, and this who speaks’ (Taiwanese Mandarin), Mario Quintana’s ‘I write against an
is a remarkable achievement for each and Mark Grainger for Erich Kästner’s open window’ (Brazilian Portuguese),
entrant, considering the pandemic. We ‘The Evolution of Mankind’ (German), jarring us with the ‘thought of light
sincerely thank all of you who took the all of which showed sensitivity for fingers painting me!’. Commendations
time to create, to submit, to submerge in ‘each subtle nuance’ (to quote Garratt’s go to Gabriela O’Keeffe’s translation of
so many languages. We present to you translation), remarkable for it being an extract from Michael Davitt’s ‘Tears
poems that moved and delighted us. their first attempts. for America’ (Irish), and Matilda Stepek
In the open category, we celebrate In the 18-and-under category, we for Ovid’s ‘Passions of a Ghostly Fury’
first prize winner ‘Wild West Cambridge were uplifted by ‘the golden trumpets of (Latin), both passionate odes on politics
At Dusk’ for its creative idiosyncrasies, sunlight’ in Maryam Zaidi’s translation and war.
Stuart Lyons playfully presenting Xu of Eugenio Montale’s ‘The Lemons’ Finally, in the 14-and-under
Zhimo’s charming descriptions of ‘lush (Italian), taken by how ‘the chain category, Hannah Kripa Jordan wins
lush dense dense shagginess’, of sky unravels, takes flight, re-joins’ in Olivia first prize for the boisterous, charming
as ‘mixed-star mosaic’. Then we have Flint’s translation of Pedro Serrano’s ‘And Yet – Our Tamil Life’ (Tamil)
Marta Ciechanowicz’s translation of ‘T he Schoolch ildren’ ( Mex ica n by Manushya Puthiran, followed by
Wisława Szymborska’s ‘The Joy of Spanish), and felt deeply for Qiu Jin’s Grace Wu’s translation of Li Bai’s ‘muse
Writing’, a journey of gratitude for the inner monologue as both ‘solitary sail- of the moon’ (Chinese), successfully
written word, keenly translated from boat’ and ‘heroic’, in Isobel Birkeland’s conveying a self-avowed ‘mystical and
Polish. In third place, Ben Fergusson’s translation of ‘Writing rhymes with ethereal atmosphere’, and third goes to
translation from German of Nadja Sir Ishii’ (Chinese). Our commended Caroline-Olivia Edwards’ translation
Küchenmeister’s ‘dust’, evoking ‘fever entries are all skilful: Vassil Gilbert for of Cuban poet José Martí’s ‘Versos
feelings’ through intense sensorial Yosa Buson’s ‘A short summer night’ Sencillos, Verso III’, in which ‘the air
description. The commended entries (Japanese), Jasper Maughan for Rainald sings and romps’. Commended are
are Oliver Fallon for his translation Simon’s ‘Stay’ (German), and Cosima Vishal Saha, Maddie Stoll, and Omar
from Sanskrit of Kālidāsa’s ‘Conception Deetman for Martin Piekar’s ‘Cyber Ullah, for Mario Benedetti’s ‘When we
of a New God’ (verses 1.33–47), Peter Insomnia’ (German). were kids’ (Uruguayan Spanish), Ai
Frankopan for Bella Akhmadulina’s For the 16-and-under category, Qing’s ‘Hope’ (Chinese), and Kamini
‘The Night of the Falling Apples’ Megan Turtle’s strong translation Roy’s ‘Lest they say something’
(Russian), and Christopher from Russian of Joseph Brodsky’s (Bangla), respectively – all containing
MacDonald for Temu Suyan’s ‘Twelve ‘Do not leave your room’ – in which profundity in deceptively simple
Todays’ (Taiwanese Mandarin), each ‘Outside nothing makes sense, language.
resonant and considered. We also happiness included’ – wins first prize.
Khairani Barokka
3Judges’ commentary – Mary Jean Chan
As a recurring judge silent, / you hear the hammer striking, of ‘A short summer night’ (Japanese),
for the Stephen Spender you hear the saw / of the woodworker’. Jasper Maughan’s translation of ‘Stay’
Prize, I can safely say Mario Quintana’s ‘I write against an (German) and Cosima Deetman’s trans-
that the judges were open window’ is third, translated from lation of ‘Cyber Insomnia’ (German),
once again treated to Brazilian Portuguese by Alice Garcia which stood out to the judges for their
submissions of the Kalmus. Despite its short length, the evocative imagery and clarity of voice.
highest quality from across our transla- poem evokes the wonder of creating Last but not least, the open category
tion categories this year. The inaugural art as one oscillates between inspira- once again proved to be the most
commendations for first-time entrants tion and daydream: ‘Flashes of light varied and challenging for the judges
in the open category also allows us to dancing on the leaves! / I almost forgot to agree upon. After much delibera-
celebrate translators who have submit- what I was going to write / But why tion, we found ourselves returning to
ted to the Stephen Spender Prize for would I bother? / I also come from this Xu Zhimo’s ‘Wild West Cambridge
the first time. The judges agreed that landscape / I keep daydreaming’. Our at Dusk’, translated by Stuart Lyons.
the Tamil poem ‘And Yet – Our Tamil commended poems go to ‘Passions of We were enamoured of the playfulness
Life’ by Manushya Puthiran was a a Ghostly Fury’ by Ovid, translated and irreverence of this translation,
worthy winner of the 14-and-under by Matilda Stepek from Latin, and an particularly in terms of the transla-
category, a poem full of wisdom for our extract from Michael Davitt’s excori- tor’s use of syntax throughout, which
difficult times, thoughtfully translated ating ‘Tears for America’, translated allows the English version to take on a
by Hannah Kripa Jordan. Second place by Gabriela O’Keeffe, both of which life of its own with lines such as these:
goes to the ‘muse of the moon’ by Li Bai, captured the judges’ attention. ‘braving cloud-billows cloud-tides /
translated by Grace Wu, who expertly In the 18-and-under category, we pip-pip pitter-patter afloat / in a blink
expressed this classical Chinese poem in selected Maryam Zaidi’s translation the dusk-blaze subsides / see you later
a fresh and vivid manner in English. In from Italian of ‘The Lemons’ by the mate’. In second place, we were drawn
third place, we chose the Cuban Spanish poet Eugenio Montale as our unanimous to Wisława Szymborska’s ‘The Joy
poem ‘Versos Sencillos, Verso III’ by winner for its lyric sensibility and ability of Writing’ for its lush metaphors,
José Martí, with its crystalline imagery to inspire hope through an appreciation expertly translated from Polish by
translated wonderfully by Caroline- of nature’s bounty: ‘among the trees of Marta Ciechanowicz: ‘The written
Olivia Edwards. Our commendations go a courtyard / we catch a glimpse of the doe. Where is she running through
to Vishal Saha for ‘When we were kids’ yellow lemons; / and the frost in our the written wood?’ In third place, we
(Uruguayan Spanish), Maddie Stoll for hearts thaws, / and into our chests pour chose Nadja Küchenmeister’s ‘dust’,
‘Hope’ (Chinese) and Omar Ullah for / their songs – / the golden trumpets translated by Ben Fergusson, for its
‘Lest they say something’ (Bangla), as of sunlight.’ In second place, we chose atmospheric quality and ability to
these poems felt expansive and moving Pedro Serrano’s ‘The Schoolchildren’, a lightly convey deep-seated emotions:
in multiple ways. poem translated from Mexican Spanish ‘fever feelings. the wood softly cracks.
In the 16-and-under category, the by Olivia Flint with tenderness and / only a wasp pounding the window.
judges selected Megan Turtle’s transla- clarity, evoking the lovely image of outside the pine / trees rock.’
tion of ‘Do not leave your room’ by a group of schoolchildren relishing In terms of our first-time entrants
the Russian-American poet Joseph one another’s company: ‘It is strange / in the open category, the judges
Brodsky as our winner, as it speaks this way of melding, of becoming one chose as our winner Cécile Coulon’s
directly to our current predicament being. / As if they do not know who ‘Colours’ translated by Fiona Garratt
amidst COVID-19, with its clever use they are without following. / They seek from French, as we were impressed
of biting satire expertly translated into each other, reach each other, become by its vivid lines: ‘deaths and births, /
English: ‘Stay home for furniture will entangled.’ In third place is ‘Writing twisting above / neighbouring houses
keep you company. / Practice wall- rhymes with Sir Ishii’ by the Chinese / the bolt of storms, / floating over
paper fusion. Barricade the door to revolutionary feminist writer Qiu Jin, rooftops fortified / with bees and mice’.
protect us / from Chronos, Cosmos, translated by Isobel Birkeland with In second place, we picked Ling Yu’s
Eros, the Virus.’ In second place, we panache: ‘Ashamed, I have sweated ‘The one who speaks’, translated from
chose Giacomo Leopardi’s ‘Saturday my warhorse, yet achieved nothing. / Taiwanese Mandarin by Lorna Amor,
in the village’, tenderly translated from Grieving over my homeland fills me for its deep sense of place and appre-
the Italian by Alessandro d’Attanasio, with regret, / How can I spend my days ciation of the landscape of Taiwan. In
who evokes rural village scenes with here? / A guest, enduring your pleas- third place, we picked Erich Kästner’s
striking imagery: ‘Then when every ant spring breezes.’ Our commended ‘The Evolution of Mankind’, translated
other light is quenched, / and all else is poems were Vassil Gilbert’s translation from German by Mark Grainger, for
4its futuristic vision and satirical tone: New God’ (verses 1.33-47) translated translated by Christopher MacDonald.
‘They travel wide. They’ve mastered the from Sanskrit by Oliver Fallon, Bella Congratulations to all our winners
car. / They’ve built an orbital station. / Akhmadulina’s ‘The Night of the and commended translators. It has been
They brush their teeth. They’ve con- Falling Apples’ (Russian) translated a true joy to read your tremendous work.
quered tartar.’ Our overall commenda- by Peter Frankopan, and Temu Suyan’s
tions go to Kālidāsa’s ‘Conception of a ‘Twelve Todays’ (Taiwanese Mandarin) Mary Jean Chan
Judges’ commentary – Daljit Nagra
Having judged many the Joycean influence on the original. a highly skilled translator at work;
prizes over the past I also enjoyed the second prize poem similarly, ‘The Schoolchildren’ was able
two decades, I have to almost as much as the winner, but alas to delay the true impact of the story
say, and without any it just missed out. The clean syntax and through the deployment of syntax and
detriment to any other lineation of this poem captured the run-on lines.
competition, that this stark simplicity of the surface, drawing In the 16-and-under category, the
has been the most enjoyable to judge. us into the complex thoughts of the second prize-winner, with ‘Do not
Entries varied from adults to children, poem, the feeling that art can hold us, leave your room’ shows a translator able
and translated poems were either classic momentarily, in a place of safety. The to find a poem that is apt for the times;
poems that I have loved for years, or many strengths of our third prize poem, it is written simply, yet with verve, and
classic and contemporary poems that ‘dust’, included the exquisite precision conveys the fear of going outside as
were unfamiliar to me. In several cases, of the details which sit beautifully institutions and ideals collapse.
the names of translated poets were new against the voice of controlled despair; In the 14-and-under category, I was
to me, and I found myself repeatedly the explanation of the compound nouns delighted that a poem translated from
searching for the exciting poets online in the commentary was also helpful in Tamil became our winner, especially
and ordering their books where they explaining key decisions. as this indicates the wide range of
had already been translated. There were several first-time languages our winning entries came
This is one way of saying that the entrants, and many showed great skill from. ‘And Yet - Our Tamil Life’
poetry submissions were of an excep- at capturing the tones of the original. is both funny and moving, and the
tionally high standard. I came across Our three first-time entrant commen- translator’s commentary was also an
many translations that felt as though dations were very different: ‘Colours’ enjoyable read. In its original Chinese,
they had, always and only, been written had a dreamy quality that held back ‘muse of the moon’ is visually simple
in English, such was the quality of the the terrors of the mind; ‘The one who on the page, but the translator has
translators’ way of transforming poems speaks’ was a beautifully quiet poem played havoc with the lineation to
from one language into another. about loss; while ‘The Evolution of create a fresh and dynamic poem in
In the open category, there were Mankind’ was a confidently rhymed English. ‘Versos Sencillos, Verso III’
many superb translations that missed poem that humorously captured our was our third prize in the 14-and-under
out. Our winning poem justified beleaguered state of being. category, and I enjoyed the restraint of
its place because of its lively mix of There were many impressive entries the lines as they developed the mood of
language that dramatized a scene at in the 18-and-under category, espe- hope cast against despair.
Cambridge with linguistic vigour; the cially the energised and grammatically
commentary was helpful in explaining exciting ‘The Lemons’, which showed Daljit Nagra
5First prize, 14-and-under category
And Yet – Our And Yet – Our Tamil Life
These doorbells –
Does it matter they don’t ring?
And yet –
None of my visitors
Have gone without today’s gossip.
The bathroom latch is broken, so what?
A year and a half has gone by.
And yet –
No one’s privacy has been invaded,
No daydreams interrupted.
The chair may have a broken leg,
Its balance a little rocky.
And yet –
To the startled guest,
Not a hint of disrespect.
For more than a week now,
My car brakes have been failing.
And yet –
God keeps watch on the city.
Still I return home,
In one full piece.
I suffer a pain in my belly,
But what can I do?
Nowadays it returns frequently.
Manushya Puthiran And yet –
If I recline at a certain angle,
Reproduced by kind permission of the poet I can just about bear the pain.
Predicaments may be endless
In most parts of our life,
And yet –
Tamil life is plain sailing,
A thread without knots.
Translated from Tamil
by Hannah Kripa Jordan
Hannah Kripa Jordan’s commentary
I liked this poem, which I found on the helped me to understand tricky Tamil words. One difficulty was making sure that
Poetry International website, because I I first wrote out the literal meaning of each the poem sounded funny in English yet
found it true to my experience of life in line in English with her help, and then I kept the specific Tamil problems in the
India; my family are constantly fixing started to put the words back into more translation; at some points I had to move
things for my grandparents. As soon as we poetic lines and create a light, playful rhythm away from the original a little as it was
arrive there, my dad puts together a long list for the whole poem. The repetition of the just too difficult to maintain the light tone
of all the things that need fixing. Inevitably, line ‘And yet – ’ in my version soon fell into otherwise. In the last stanza the flow of the
when we return, there is another list, yet place, giving the stanzas a bit more structure Tamil lines made sense but a literal English
we all get by just fine, even if the monsoon and emphasising the contrast between the translation sounded awkward and too
winds blow through the gaps in the wall or negative and the positive in the English serious. I managed to keep the final image,
the brakes in the car we borrow don’t work. version. As the poem developed, I had to which works in English as well, giving the
After I chose this poem, my mum allow stanzas four and five an extra line to poem an ending that accurately reflects the
provided a gloss of individual words which accommodate the contrasting tones fully. original.
6Second prize, 14-and-under category
静夜思
床前明月光，
疑是地上霜。
举头望明月，
低头思故乡。
Li Bai
muse of the moon
The lucid moonlight lies before
my bed
I thought it was frost on the Earth
To the light of the moon I raise my head
But long for my home instead.
Translated from Chinese
by Grace Wu
Grace Wu’s commentary
While translating this poem, I faced prob- translation, it related the context of the poem descriptive phrases of the landscape. I
lems mainly linked to poetic form, individual while seeming more natural in English. believe this makes Chinese poems particu-
words and the atmosphere or air the poem The poem rhymed on the end of lines 1, larly special and different because they paint
created in the original language. 2 and 4. I decided that I wanted to preserve a picture with so few words, allowing the
I found the most difficulty in translating this quality of the poem, because it would reader themselves to imagine the scene. I
the title. Translated to English, it literally make my translation seem more fluid and enjoyed the simplicity of the poem because it
means ‘Quiet Night Thought’. I was far natural. It was not particularly hard for me created a mystical and ethereal atmosphere.
from satisfied by this title because it did to create a rhyme for this poem, because To maintain this quality, I used simple,
not have the same breath or personality ‘bed’ and ‘head’ were both mentioned. descriptive words, while also playing with
as the title of the original, and didn’t seem However, I did need to change the rhyming gaps which created space and made the
natural in English. I decided to translate it lines to lines 1, 3 and 4. speaker seem lost and broken, due to the
as ‘muse of the moon’ (‘to muse’ as in ‘to In Mandarin, most poems have this broken lines and phrases: essentially how Li
think’). Even though not the most accurate rhyming quality, coinciding with short, Bai seemed to feel when writing this poem.
7Third prize, 14-and-under category
Versos Sencillos, Verso III Versos Sencillos, Verso III
Odio la máscara y vicio I detest the mask and vice
Del corredor de mi hotel: From the corridor of my hotel:
Me vuelvo al manso bullicio I turn to the meek noise
De mi monte de laurel. Of my mountain of laurel.
Con los pobres de la tierra With the poor of the earth
Quiero yo mi suerte echar: I want to cast my luck:
El arroyo de la sierra I am more pleased
Me complace más que el mar. With the mountain stream than the sea.
Denle al vano el oro tierno Give in vain the tender gold
Que arde y brilla en el crisol: That burns and shines in the crucible:
A mí denme el bosque eterno Give me the eternal forest
Cuando rompe en él el Sol. When the sun first shines in it.
Yo he visto el oro hecho tierra I have seen the gold made land
Barbullendo en la redoma: Bubble in the flask:
Prefiero estar en la sierra I prefer to be in the mountains
Cuando vuela una paloma. When a dove flies.
Busca el obispo de España The bishop of Spain is finding
Pilares para su altar; Pillars for his altar;
¡En mi templo, en la montaña, In my temple in the mountains,
El álamo es el pilar! The pillar is poplar!
Y la alfombra es puro helecho, And the rug is pure fern,
Y los muros abedul, And the walls are of birch,
Y la luz viene del techo, And the light comes from the ceiling,
Del techo de ciel o azul. From the ceiling of the blue sky.
El obispo, por la noche, The bishop, at night,
Sale, despacio, a cantar: Goes out, slowly to sing:
Monta, callado, en su coche, Rides, quietly in his coach,
Que es la piña de un pinar. Which is a pinecone.
Las jacas de su carroza The pullers of his chariot
Son dos pájaros azules: Are two blue birds:
Y canta el aire y retoza, And the air sings and romps,
Y cantan los abedules. And the birch trees sing.
Duermo en mi cama de roca I sleep in my bed of rock
Mi sueño dulce y profundo: My sweet and profound sleep:
Roza una abeja mi boca A bee grazed my mouth
Y crece en mi cuerpo el mundo. And the world grows in my body.
[…] […]
8Third prize, 14-and-under category (continued)
Brillan las grandes molduras The great mouldings shine
Al fuego de la mañana In the morning fire
Que tiñe las colgaduras That dyes the hangings
De rosa, violeta y grana. Pink, purple and scarlet.
El clarín, solo en el monte, The bugle alone in the mountains,
Canta al primer arrebol: Sings to the first flush:
La gasa del horizonte The gauze of the horizon
Prende, de un aliento, el Sol. Is burned by the Sun with one breath.
¡Díganle al obispo ciego, Tell the blind bishop,
Al viejo obispo de España The old bishop of Spain
Que venga, que venga luego, Let him come, let him come later,
A mi templo, a la montaña! To my temple, to the mountain!
José Martí Translated from Cuban Spanish
by Caroline-Olivia Edwards
Caroline-Olivia Edwards’ commentary
Whilst translating the poem, one of the which then made no sense to me, and I had the Collins Spanish School Dictionary and
challenges that I faced was whether to to go back to the poem in Spanish to check the Oxford Online Spanish Dictionary to
preserve the rhyming form (ABAB) in that I had translated the words correctly. assist me with the translation of the poem.
English. I tried many different synonyms, After that, I changed the word order of Another challenge was the fact that I could
but when I did this, I found that it began the sentences so that they read better in not find some of these words in my Collins
to affect the structure and meaning of the English and were easier to understand. For Spanish School Dictionary. I was able to
poem. As I did not want this to happen, I example, I translated the phrase ‘Que es la predict the meaning of some of the words
decided not to keep the rhyme scheme. piña de un pinar’ as ‘Which is the pineapple based on the context of the poem and
Secondly, the word order of some of the of a pine forest.’ This means a pinecone. I subsequently check the meaning of them
sentences needed changing so that they thought that ‘pinecone’ was more suited to with the online Oxford Spanish Dictionary.
made more sense in English. There were the poem’s style, so I changed it.
some sentences that I had translated but I am not fluent in Spanish, so I used
9First prize, 16-and-under category
Не выходи из комнаты Do not leave your room
Не выходи из комнаты, не совершай ошибку. Do not leave your room, do not make a mistake.
Зачем тебе Солнце, если ты куришь Шипку? What use is the sun if your smoke chain must break?
За дверью бессмысленно всё, особенно — возглас счастья. Outside nothing makes sense, happiness included.
Только в уборную — и сразу же возвращайся. Go quickly to the restroom but remain elusive.
О, не выходи из комнаты, не вызывай мотора. Do not leave your room.
Потому что пространство сделано из коридора
и кончается счётчиком. А если войдёт живая Do not leave your room, do not call a taxi.
милка, пасть разевая, выгони не раздевая. Space is nothing but a hallway floor, waxy,
that ends with a meter, counting. If your lover
Не выходи из комнаты; считай, что тебя продуло. knocks, undresses, caresses - expel her.
Что интересней на свете стены и стула?
Зачем выходить оттуда, куда вернёшься вечером Do not leave your room.
таким же, каким ты был, тем более — изувеченным?
Do not leave your room, feign illness, face white.
О, не выходи из комнаты. Танцуй, поймав, боссанову What’s more interesting than the lamp’s soft light?
в пальто на голое тело, в туфлях на босу ногу. Why leave your room when you will come back later
В прихожей пахнет капустой и мазью лыжной. the same, unchanged, if not more mutilated?
Ты написал много букв; ещё одна будет лишней.
Do not leave your room.
Не выходи из комнаты. О, пускай только комната
догадывается, как ты выглядишь. И вообще инкогнито Do not leave your room, instead dance the bossa nova
эрго сум, как заметила форме в сердцах субстанция. Naked except for shoes with your coat thrown over.
Не выходи из комнаты! На улице, чай, не Франция. The smell of cabbage lingers in the hallway, heavy.
You wrote countless letters; one more, too many.
Не будь дураком! Будь тем, чем другие не были.
Не выходи из комнаты! То есть дай волю мебели, Do not leave your room.
слейся лицом с обоями. Запрись и забаррикадируйся
шкафом от хроноса, космоса, эроса, расы, вируса. Do not leave your room, let these four walls become
your only friend, your mirror. Incognito ergo sum
Joseph Brodsky as substance once informed form, in the chaos of nightmare.
Stay at home, sleep, dance, write. It’s not France out there.
© 1970, Joseph Brodsky
Reproduced by kind permission of the rightsholder Do not leave your room.
Do not be a fool! Be what others couldn’t be.
Stay home for furniture will keep you company.
Practise wall-paper fusion. Barricade the door to protect us
from Chronos, Cosmos, Eros, the Virus.
Translated from Russian
by Megan Turtle
Megan Turtle’s commentary
Joseph Brodsky (1940 –1996) was a Brodsky wrote this poem in an entirely perfectly counters his satirical spirit. I used
Russian-American poet who explored the satirical manner to mock the intelligentsia an online dictionary to help me translate the
relationship between the poet and society of Leningrad at the time, who loathed poem, which allowed me to further explore
through his writing. life under Soviet control but did not take Brodsky’s ingenious writing. My favourite
This poem bears no title, but is known action to oppose it. However, I still felt rhyme in this poem is in the fourth stanza:
by its first line. It was written by Brodsky that the poem’s imagery and lyrical quality ‘боссанову’ (bossa nova) and ‘босу ногу’
in 1970, shortly before he was exiled from definitely made it worth a fresh translation. (bare foot). They are pronounced in an
Russia by Soviet authorities, after they Before I translated the poem, I listened almost identical way yet have very different
concluded he was ‘not a valuable person at to a recording of Brodsky reading it aloud meanings. This was difficult to reflect in
all and may be let go’. I chose this poem in order to understand the poem’s rhythm, English, so I chose to instead use internal
because, when removed from its Soviet which proved invaluable as a non-native rhymes such as ‘undresses, caresses’. I also
context and read alongside UK government speaker. When I first read the poem, I inserted a line in between each stanza to
guidance to stay at home amidst an ongoing was surprised that Brodsky maintained a emphasise the commanding tone of the
pandemic, it is particularly relevant to strict rhyme scheme throughout. Yet upon speaker.
today. It is important to mention that reflection I realised that the use of rhyme
10Second prize, 16-and-under category
Il sabato del villaggio Saturday in the village
La donzelletta vien da la campagna, The farmer girl comes from the fields
in sul calar del sole, at the setting of the sun;
col suo fascio de l’erba; e reca in mano with a sheaf of grass, she bears in hand
un mazzolin di rose e di viole, a posy of roses and violets
onde, siccome suole, to adorn her chest and hair
ornare ella si appresta tomorrow, as usual,
dimani, al dì di festa, il petto e il crine. for a day of celebration.
Siede con le vicine The old woman sits on the stairway
su la scala a filar la vecchierella, with her neighbours, spinning,
incontro là dove si perde il giorno; facing the descent of the sun,
e novellando vien del suo buon tempo, and recounting her best years,
quando a i dì de la festa ella si ornava, when she would adorn herself for the festival;
ed ancor sana e snella still healthy and slim, she once
solea danzar la sera intra di quei would dance the night with those
ch’ebbe compagni de l’età più bella. companions of a more beautiful age.
Già tutta l’aria imbruna, Already the whole sky darkens,
orna azzurro il sereno, e tornan l’ombre the air turns blue, and shadows return
giù da’ colli e da’ tetti, down from ridges and roofs,
a la luce del vespro e de la luna. to the frosting of the just-risen moon.
or la squilla dà segno Now the ringing of the bell beckons
de la festa che viene; the return of the festival;
ed a quel suon diresti the heart takes relief from that sound.
che il cor si riconforta.
The boys shouting as one,
I fanciulli gridando jumping here and there
su la piazzuola in frotta, on the small square,
e qua e là saltando, make a glad noise:
fanno un lieto romore: meanwhile the farmhand
e intanto riede a la sua parca mensa, returns to his modest meal, whistling,
fischiando, il zappatore, and dreams of a day of respite.
e seco pensa al dì del suo riposo.
Then when every other light is quenched,
Poi quando intorno è spenta ogni altra face, and all else is silent,
e tutto l’altro tace, you hear the hammer striking, you hear the saw
odi il martel picchiare, odi la sega of the woodworker, awake
del legnaiuol, che veglia in the closed shop under lamplight;
ne la chiusa bottega a la lucerna, he hurries, and endeavours
e s’affretta, e s’adopra to finish the work before dawn.
di fornir l’opra anzi il chiarir de l’alba.
[…]
[…]
11Second prize, 16-and-under category (continued)
Questo di sette è il più gradito giorno, This is the most welcome day of the week,
pien di speme e di gioia: full of hope and joy:
diman tristezza e noia tomorrow the hours will bear
recheran l’ore, ed al travaglio usato sadness and boredom, and each in their thoughts
ciascuno in suo pensier farà ritorno. will return to habitual toil.
Garzoncello scherzoso, Playful young man,
cotesta età fiorita your age like flowered spring
è come un giorno d’allegrezza pieno, is a day full of joy,
giorno chiaro, sereno, a clear, serene day,
che precorre a la festa di tua vita. a harbinger of the festival of your life.
Godi, fanciullo mio; stato soave, Enjoy, my boy;
stagion lieta è cotesta. sweetness, gladness is yours.
Altro dirti non vo’; ma la tua festa I do not wish to say more.
ch’anco tardi a venir non ti sia grave. Your festival may yet seem late in coming;
let that not worry you.
Giacomo Leopardi
Translated from Italian
by Alessandro d’Attanasio
Alessandro d’Attanasio’s commentary
For Leopardi, human joy comes from idyllic awake’, to emphasise the dissonance of catharsis from the suffering of maturity. I
hope and nebulous imagination. The light- night-time labour against the harmony of translated ‘cotesta età fiorita’ as ‘your age
ness of the scene derives from the simplicity the village. like flowered spring’, changing the natural
and familiarity of the Italian; however, it is Anticipation, not underwhelming enjoy- imagery to a more familiar metaphor in
simultaneously poetic and dreamlike. I used ment, is the source of this joy. Leopardi English. After this, the tone is prosaic,
a straightforward and natural lexicon, espe- achieves this using enjambment, which I have peaceful, and melancholy, as if an admoni-
cially in the imagery. In the second stanza, retained. Within the hendecasyllabic metre, tion, without enjambment or anastrophe.
the elderly lady ‘faces the descent of the sun’ rhymes strengthen thematic connections. I The poet ultimately conceals the deceptive
while wistfully ‘recounting her best years’: opted to emphasise these connections using disillusionment of adulthood from the ‘gar-
in equating the empyrean to the nostalgic, sibilance (‘with a sheaf of grass, she bears in zoncello’: he ‘do[es] not wish to say more’.
my translation emphasises Leopardi’s attach- hand / a posy of roses and violets’), allitera- The Italian is archaic, so I split these two
ment to memory. Only the woodworker, tion, as in the third stanza, and consonance lines into three, adding gravitas to the assur-
symbolising modernity and distance from in the description of the woodworker. ance that the young man’s carefree stasis and
nature, breaks this melody and simplicity; I The final stanza was the most difficult to anticipation is indeed a state of perfection,
used consonance, in describing ‘the hammer translate. With an apostrophe, Leopardi’s and one that the poet envies.
striking…the saw / of the woodworker, cosmic pessimism achieves temporary
12Third prize, 16-and-under category
Escrevo diante da janela aberta I write against an open window
Escrevo diante da janela aberta I write against an open window.
Minha caneta é cor das venezianas: My pen is the colour of the shutters:
Verde!... E que leves, lindas filigranas Green! And what light, beautiful metalwork
Desenha o sol na página deserta! That draws the sun on an empty canvas!
Não sei que paisagista doidivanas I don’t know what crazy landscaper
Mistura os tons… acerta… desacerta… Would mix the different colours… failing… succeeding
Sempre em busca de nova descoberta, Always trying to make a new shade
Vai colorindo as horas quotidianas… Every day, colouring in the hours as they pass
Jogos da luz dançando na folhagem! Flashes of light dancing on the leaves!
Do que eu ia escrever até me esqueço… I almost forgot what I was going to write
Pra que pensar? Também sou da paisagem… But why would I bother?
I also come from this landscape
Vago, solúvel no ar, fico sonhando…
E me transmuto… iriso-me… estremeço… I keep daydreaming, randomly, my thoughts dissolving in the air
Nos leves dedos que me vão pintando! And suddenly I am uplifted… enlightened… shuddering
At the thought of light fingers painting me!
Mario Quintana
© Rua dos Cataventos, Translated from Brazilian Portuguese
Editora Alfaguara, São Paulo, SP by Alice Garcia Kalmus
Reproduced by kind permission of
the rightsholder
Alice Garcia Kalmus’s commentary
The main challenge in translating this word, technically meaning eccentric, but I so I chose ‘fails…’succeeds…’ as the meaning
poem was retaining the meaning of the old- thought ‘crazy’ was a better translation, as is the same but it’s more literary.
fashioned language. The collection that this it isn’t far from the original meaning and its Another difficulty was translating ‘Pra que
poem came from was published in 1940, so use conveys the speaker’s confusion at the pensar?’ which translates as ‘Why think?’,
the manner of speaking is very different from behaviour of the imagined landscaper. I also but the speaker is trying to say ‘Why would
modern-day Portuguese. struggled with metaphorical language. ‘Página I think about what to write?’, which is too
Furthermore, some words were very deserta’ literally means deserted page, which long so I shortened it to ‘Why bother?’.
technical and not used colloquially, for in Portuguese sounds poetic, but I thought The greatest challenge was translating the
example ‘filigranas’, meaning ‘filigrees’, ‘empty canvas’ was a better translation as penultimate line. ‘Transmuto’ means ‘trans-
which I changed to ‘metalwork’ to allow the ‘empty’ has a more appropriate connotation, mute’, which is again a very niche word and in
reader to understand, whilst still encapsulat- and ‘canvas’ alludes to the metaphorical this case is used metaphorically (the speaker
ing the original meaning. Another example ‘painting’ more clearly. Another example doesn’t change form, but his thoughts/feel-
is ‘folhagem’ meaning ‘foliage’, which I of this was ‘acerta… desacerta…’ meaning ings change very suddenly). Since it is implied
changed to ‘leaves’, a better-known word. ‘hits… misses…’. In Portuguese the meaning that he feels happy, I changed it to ‘uplifted’
‘Doidivana/s’ is an old and rarely used is clear, but in English this doesn’t flow well, to make it clearer.
13First prize, 18-and-under category
I limoni The Lemons
Ascoltami, i poeti laureati Listen to me – laureate poets
si muovono soltanto fra le piante only seem to move among plants
dai nomi poco usati: bossi ligustri o acanti. with rarely used names: boxwood, privets or acanthus
lo, per me, amo le strade che riescono agli erbosi as for me, I love streets that lead to grassy
fossi dove in pozzanghere ditches where in partly dried up puddles
mezzo seccate agguantano i ragazzi young boys grab at some scrawny eels:
qualche sparuta anguilla: the narrow streets that follow these banks
le viuzze che seguono i ciglioni, descend onto tufted reeds
discendono tra i ciuffi delle canne and unfold onto the orchards, among the lemon trees.
e mettono negli orti, tra gli alberi dei limoni.
Perhaps it is better if the chorus of the birds
Meglio se le gazzarre degli uccelli dwindles, swallowed up by the azure sky;
si spengono inghiottite dall’azzurro: you can hear the whispers of the friendly branches
più chiaro si ascolta il susurro more clearly now in that almost immovable air,
dei rami amici nell’aria che quasi non si muove, and the essences of this fragrance
e i sensi di quest’odore that cannot separate itself from the earth
che non sa staccarsi da terra pours into our chest with a restless sweetness.
e piove in petto una dolcezza inquieta. Here by some miracle, the war
Qui delle divertite passioni of adverse passions is stilled,
per miracolo tace la guerra, here even the poorest of us can reach our share of wealth –
qui tocca anche a noi poveri la nostra parte di ricchezza the fragrance of the lemons.
ed è l’odore dei limoni.
Look, in these silences when things
Vedi, in questi silenzi in cui le cose yield themselves and seem close
s’abbandonano e sembrano vicine to revealing their ultimate secret,
a tradire il loro ultimo segreto, sometimes we expect
talora ci si aspetta to unearth an error in Nature,
di scoprire uno sbaglio di Natura, the world’s dead point, the link that comes loose,
il punto morto del mondo, l’anello che non tiene, the thread that, untangled, might finally lead us
il filo da disbrogliare che finalmente ci metta to the heart of a truth.
nel mezzo di una verità. Our gaze searches all around,
Lo sguardo fruga d’intorno, The mind probes, assents, disconnects
la mente indaga accorda disunisce in the fragrance that sweeps over us
nel profumo che dilaga when the day grows faint.
quando il giorno piú languisce. These are the silences where one sees
Sono i silenzi in cui si vede in every fading human shadow
in ogni ombra umana che si allontana some disturbed Divinity.
qualche disturbata Divinità.
[…]
[…]
14First prize, 18-and-under category (continued)
Ma l’illusione manca e ci riporta il tempo But the illusion is lost, and time returns us
nelle città rumorose dove l’azzurro si mostra to noisy cities where the azure sky only shows itself
soltanto a pezzi, in alto, tra le cimase. in fragments, high up, between the cornices.
La pioggia stanca la terra, di poi; s’affolta The rain then wearies the earth;
il tedio dell’inverno sulle case, the tedium of winter thickens over the roofs,
la luce si fa avara – amara l’anima. daylight becomes miserly – the soul bitter.
Quando un giorno da un malchiuso portone Yet one day through a gate left ajar
tra gli alberi di una corte among the trees of a courtyard
ci si mostrano i gialli dei limoni; we catch a glimpse of the yellow lemons;
e il gelo del cuore si sfa, and the frost in our hearts thaws,
e in petto ci scrosciano and into our chests pour
le loro canzoni their songs –
le trombe d’oro della solarità the golden trumpets of sunlight.
Eugenio Montale Translated from Italian
by Maryam Zaidi
© Mondadori Libri SpA, Milano
Reproduced by kind permission of the rightsholder
Maryam Zaidi’s commentary
In ‘I limoni’, Eugenio Montale distances experience, but the final stanza grounds and keep to the lyricism of Montale’s original
himself from past literary conventions. The Montale’s philosophical thoughts back in form. This was somewhat difficult in the
poem is memorable because it focuses on reality. There is a sense of the ‘mal di vivere’ final phrase of the poem, where the subject
quotidian life – not the ‘superior’ poetry (the pain of living), through the multifaceted ‘le loro canzoni’ (their songs) is purposefully
of the prestigious ‘poeti laureati’ (laureate references to the arrival of winter. Montale separated from its sentence in the previous
poets) and their use of florid language. conveys that even through the monotony of line. Here, I made a decision to preserve the
Montale instead captures the roots of his winter, contentment awaits him in the form original version. The most difficult thing,
personal experiences. Montale paints a of an orchard of lemon trees. however, was when to substitute singular
nostalgic picture of the Ligurian landscape The dry sounds in the original Italian for plural and vice versa. For example, in the
where he spent summers with his family: were a challenge to translate: the ‘z’s and ‘c’s original Italian, the young boys are grabbing
the lanes, the bird-chorus, and the all- within ‘mezzo seccate’ (half-dried-up) and at a singular ‘sparuta anguilla’ (scrawny eel),
encompassing scent and sight of the local ‘gazzare’ (to uproar) had to be translated but I have decided to take some liberty and
lemon trees. The poem goes on to become a into harsher words to match with the Italian translate it as a plural, as it suits the English
more existential look at the truth in human double consonants. Another task was to try better.
15Second prize, 18-and-under category
Escolares The Schoolchildren
Como hojas de viento sorprendidas en ráfaga Like leaves in a flurry caught on the wind
se desprenden del grupo compacto, they break off from the huddle,
un niño, dos, cada vez más, one child, two, more and more,
levantan en vuelo para encrespar la calle, rise up in flight awakening the street,
soplados hacia sí, impelidos a unirse, blown inwards, compelled to come together,
deshaciendo el grupo en el que estaban, dispersing the group they were in,
buscándolo de nuevo, conformándose. seeking it again, settling.
Un imán los aleja y los reúne, A magnet dispels them and gathers them,
los dispersa primero hacia la calle, scatters them first across the street,
los vuelve a congregar. Es muy extraña reunites them. It is strange
esa manera de llenarse, hacerse ser. this way of melding, of becoming one being.
Como si no supieran quiénes son sin seguimiento. As if they do not know who they are without following.
Se buscan, se tocan, se apelmazan. They seek each other, reach each other, become entangled.
Nada se da de golpe sino en un desafío Nothing occurs abruptly except when a challenge
que los impide de uno en uno. halts them one by one.
Hay dos o tres que ya han cruzado, There are two or three that have crossed now,
dos o tres más que empiezan a desprenderse, two or three more who are starting to peel away,
hasta que, como si se expandiera el motivo, until, as if the plot were revealed,
el bucle se despega, vuela, se asimila, the chain unravels, takes flight, re-joins,
cruza la calle en masa. Queda crosses the street as one. A courage
un aliento, una suavidad que mece, lingers, a tenderness that sways,
que acompaña a los rezagados, que los hace that befriends the stragglers, making them
ver que allá no están, que ya no están, que el grupo see that they are not over there, that they are no longer there, that the group
está del otro lado. Todo is on the other side. All
con una naturalidad de viento amable, with the effortlessness of a gentle breeze,
sin violencia, como en ciclo, inevitable, as if in a cycle,
masa compacta nuevamente a close band once again,
al fin, tras movimiento, apaciguados. at last, after motion, calm.
Pedro Serrano Translated from Mexican Spanish
by Olivia Flint
Reproduced by kind permission of the poet
Olivia Flint’s commentary
Throughout the poem, I struggled to When translating ‘para encrespar’, I The phrase ‘nada se da de golpe’ provided
translate the many reflexive verbs into was conflicted as to whether to include an many challenges in the translation process.
suitable English equivalents whilst still allusion to hair (one of the verb’s meanings Firstly, the verb ‘dar’/‘darse’ in Spanish has
maintaining fluidity. For example, the is ‘to make [hair] curly’), since in the an immense number of meanings dependent
translations of ‘se buscan’ and ‘se tocan’ original poem it forms part of a subtle on context, thus complicating my search for
require the addition of the phrase ‘each extended metaphor comparing the children’s a logical definition. Having unpicked the
other’ for them to make sense. Consequently, movements to hair. I found the other general sense of the phrase, I then addressed
I chose the verbs ‘seek’ and ‘reach’ instead references to hair equally difficult to translate the issue of maintaining the rhythm created
of more literal translations. This added whilst nonetheless preserving the same by the succession of short, sharp syllables in
assonance, a device not utilised in the layered meaning as in Spanish. Eventually, the original. I substituted ‘occurs abruptly’
original, but which compensated for the loss I chose not to carry this metaphor through for ‘happens suddenly’ because, although
of rhythm created by ‘se buscan, se tocan’. my translation and instead used ‘awakening’. the latter seems more natural, the stilted
This rhythm is not possible in English due On balance, I felt this was the best option to awkwardness of the sounds in my final
to the absence of verb groups such as ‘AR’ convey the overall essence and imagery of choice reflect the poet’s style.
verbs which share the same endings. the line to English readers.
16Third prize, 18-and-under category
日人石井君索和即用原韵
漫云女子不英雄，万里乘风独向东。
诗思一帆海空阔，梦魂三岛月玲珑。
铜驼已陷悲回首，汗马终惭未有功。
如许伤心家国恨，那堪客里度春风！
Qiu Jin
Writing rhymes with Sir Ishii
Do not tell me women cannot be heroic,
I sailed the eastward winds alone for thousands of miles.
My poetic thought a solitary sailboat covering the vast ocean,
I dreamt of your three islands, exquisite under the light of the moon.
With sorrow I remember the copper camels of our nation, trapped and unable to move forward
Ashamed, I have sweated my warhorse, yet achieved nothing.
Grieving over my homeland fills me with regret,
How can I spend my days here?
A guest, enduring your pleasant spring breezes.
Translated from Chinese
by Isobel Birkeland
Isobel Birkeland’s commentary
This poem, written by Qiu Jin, a I would not be able to fully convey, in only 5, as ‘铜驼’ refers to the bronze camel statues
19th-century Chinese poet, expresses her seven words per line, the meaning created which guarded one entrance to the imperial
‘poetic thoughts’ about the role of women in through the multiple meanings held by each palace in China, symbolising the palace and
society, her life in Japan, and her regrets over character in the poem, so I chose to not obey therefore China as a whole. I also chose to
leaving China. It is written in the form lüshi, this, but instead to make each line as concise translate the last seven-character line of the
which consists of eight lines of five or seven as I could. poem as two separate lines, and I translated
characters. Lüshi also often have parallelism As this is a Chinese poem from the ‘堪’ as both ‘can’, in line 8, and ‘endure’,
between couplets: a theme developed in nineteenth century, there were some cultural in line 9, in order to emphasise what I
one couplet would be contrasted in the references I had difficulties in translating. perceived as the conflict of emotion the poet
following one, thus making this poem seem One such reference was ‘铜驼’ which literally experienced in feeling out of place and guilty,
rather disjointed. Although this poem was means ‘copper camel’. I chose to translate this living pleasantly in Japan while the inequality
written with seven characters per line, I felt as ‘the copper camels of our nation’ on line she fought against still existed in China.
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