In translating Riad's poems, our strategy was to stay true to his rebellion against traditional metric rhythms, reminding us of a rough combination of Whitman's sweeping rhythms and Lorca's surrealistic experimentations, and to his language, which, rather than employing a literary diction, prefers a more direct and spoken speech. We hoped that sharing the thrill of experiencing Riad's wild yet intimate energy will translate to English readers his offer to "take a bite from his delicious heart."
Saleh Razzouk & Philip Terman on "Wishes" |
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"Using Poetry to Understand Grief"
"If you're just trying to write a poem to remember a loved one, to deal with your own grief, not trying to be the most famous poet in the world, but using poetry as a restorative act, which I think it is, start from where you know. And go into that wilderness knowing that poetry won't let you get too far without holding your hand."
via NPR |
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What Sparks Poetry:
A Short List of Books Ilya Kaminsky Loved in 2021
"Kevin Young's music can be erotic, it can be surreal, it can be serious, revelatory, or playful, or all of this at once: 'Where the train once rained / through town / like a river, where the water // rose in early summer / & froze come winter— / where the moon // of the outhouse shone / its crescent welcome, / where the heavens opened // & the sun wouldn't quit— / past the gully or gulch / or holler or ditch // I was born.' Stones is a gorgeous book. No one writes like Kevin Young. Frankly, no one can." |
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