Sunday, February 03, 2008

Translation is everything

In THE TORONTO STAR today I was reading a review of Michael Dirda's CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE. Reviewer Michel Basilieres mentioned that he doesn't think much of Sappho's poems, and cited this translated poem that appeared in the book:

The moon has set
And the Pleiades. It is
Midnight. Time passes.
I sleep alone.

But I recall seeing a different translation some years back, which went like this:

The moon has sunk, and the Pleiades,
And midnight is gone.
And the hours are passing, passing...
And I lie alone.

Still think Sappho is overrated? That's the difference between a translation of a poem and a translation that's a poem itself.

Milhous: "My mom... says you're a bad influence on me." Bart Simpson: "Bad influence my butt! How many times have I told you not to listen to your mom?"

3 comments:

Jonathan Versen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jonathan Versen said...

Murderous zombies
like to go shopping at night
for Walmart bargains.



that makes a little more sense. I didn't want to "name-check" WM, buy "thrifty" didn't sound right.


hey.

Anonymous said...

Hey, Freep! Ah paid t'see someone high dive, and that someone's a-gonna be YOU!

This is Hairhead, from Crankyland, and I've found you through barkingrabbits!

Here's my favourite Sappho:

Pain penetrates
Me drop

by drop

Poetry is compression!