"Better late than never" writes Ben of
The Small Nouns, so, I'm giving Ben his own special P.F. edition today! Check out his recommendation to visit the Poetry 180 site, and read the awesome poem he features, "The Printer's Error" by Aaron Fogel.
I visited the local used book emporium today where everything was 50% off. I picked up a bunch of poetry books--some for $1.00 each! One is
99 Poems in Translation selected by Harold Pinter et al. A penny a poem! I probably would have been willing to pay at least 5 cents for this one:
No
by Lady Ki No Washika, translated by Graeme Wilson
It's not because I'm now too old,
More wizened than you guess...
If I say no, it's only
Because I fear that yes
Would bring me nothing, in the end,
But a fiercer loneliness.
I visited the local used book emporium today where everything was 50% off. I picked up a bunch of poetry books--some for $1.00 each! One is 99 Poems in Translation selected by Harold Pinter et al. A penny a poem! I probably would have been willing to pay at least 5 cents for this one:
Diane, where to start? First of all, that book is a glorious find. I'm envious. Can I take it off your hands for $2???
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I don't think I've ever had a blog post dedicated to me. You may have just won the "Best Poetry Friday Roundup Host Ever" award. (Sponsored by The Small Nouns)
Thank you so much!
--Ben @ The Small Nouns
No, you can't have my new old book--but, if I find another one, I'll send it to you!
ReplyDeleteI felt bad about not posting your link earlier in the day (the delay is long story...), so I decided your post might get seen if I simply singled it out. Nothing particularly award worthy though, but, I do appreciate receiving it! Does it come with money? A crown? Chocolate?
Quick story, I won a Japanese haiku award last year. Since I don't live in Japan, I wasn't able to attend the ceremony. The contest judge offered to make me a noodle dinner--IF I ever found myself in Japan! I sometimes find myself in Massachusetts, but never Japan.
I'm fascinated by poetry translation, especially after trying to teach my oh-so-American poems to Parisian-raised kids, even those from Anglophone families. Yet I felt I might do a good job bringing French poems (baby ones) into English. Congrats on your find, Diane, and on your award, and to Ben for your solo feature! : )
ReplyDeleteHeidi, there is a poem in the book that is amazing and makes me wonder if the translator ever recovered! (The layout here is completely off.)
ReplyDeleteBy Antiphanes translated by Edwin Morgan
Piddle-paddling race of critics, rhizome-fanciers digging up others' poetry, pusillanimous bookworms coughing through brambles, aristophobes and Erinnaphils,
dusty bitter barkers from Callimachus' kennels, poet's-bane, nightshade of the neophytes, bacilli on singing lips: get off, get down, get lost!
I love Poetry 180, too, and will go check out Ben's post when I leave.
ReplyDeleteI like "No," Diane. Short but poignant.
That Piddle-paddling poem gets the "Shakespeare would approve of those insults" award.