DUAL Poetry Podcast

This week's poem is by Maria Clara Sharupi Jua from Ecuador.  The poem is read first in English translation by Sarah Maguire and then in Shuar by Maria Clara herself. If you enjoy this recording and would like to find out more about Maria Clara Sharupi Jua and all the other poets we’ve translated, please visit our websitewww.poetrytranslation.org. #WomenInTranslation

Direct download: PP_MariaClara_MakeMeDrunkWithKisses_3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm UTC

All this month we are celebrating Women In Traslation.

This poem was written and translated by women. Enjoy!

'But' is by Azita Ghahreman from Iran. The poem is read first in English translation by Maura Dooley and then in Farsi by Azita herself. If you enjoy this recording and would like to find out more about Azita and all the other poets we've translated, please visit www.poetrytranslation.org.

From 'Zuzanna Olszewska on Translating Shakila Azizzada'

If you would like to support the Poetry Translation Centre please visit poetrytranslation.org/support-us

Direct download: Azita_But_2_WEB.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:21am UTC

Featuring: Shakila Azizzada, Mimi Khalvati

I had the opportunity to meet Shakila Azizzada at her home on 6th November 2011 when I travelled to the Netherlands on other business. During this visit, it was a pleasure to get to know Shakila and her family and learn about her life and the story of her immigration to the Netherlands. This provided valuable context for understanding her creative work and inspirations, and paved the way for a warm and positive working relationship.

She gave me copies of nine previously published poems and two new ones and I annotated them as we discussed them in depth. She described the circumstances that had inspired individual poems’ composition and the people to whom they were dedicated. She also explained metaphors and phrases that were either highly personal, or rooted in the colloquial language of Kabul, whose meanings were not readily apparent to me. In a few cases, since the Persian second and third-person singular pronouns are not gender-specific, she clarified these as well. There is also a tendency for the poet to address herself in a poem in the second person, so she clarified where in certain places 'you' in fact meant 'I'

Following this very fruitful meeting, I made literal translations of these poems and three further ones, clarifying a few further points with Shakila over Skype. I then met Mimi in London on 7th December and we went over all the poems in detail, passing on Shakila’s explanations: another warm and productive meeting. I also read the poems out for Mimi in Persian, which she understands at a conversational level, to allow her to hear the rhythm and any instances of word play or double meanings, and later created recordings for her that she could listen to when necessary.

From 'Zuzanna Olszewska on Translating Shakila Azizzada'

If you would like to support the Poetry Translation Centre please visit poetrytranslation.org/support-us

Direct download: PP_Shakila_The_Bridal_Veil_4.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:53pm UTC

This week’s poem is 'The Bridal Veil' by Shakila Azizzada from Afghanistan. The poem is read first in English translation by Mimi Khalvati and then in Dari by Shakila. If you enjoy this recording and would like to find out more about Shakila Azizzada and all the other poets we’ve translated, please visit our website www.poetrytranslation.org.

Direct download: PP_Shakila_The_Bridal_Veil_3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm UTC

This week's poem is by Kajal Ahmad from Kurdistan.  The poem is read first in English translation by Mimi Khalvati and then in Kurdish by the poet Choman Hardi. If you enjoy this recording and would like to find out more about Kajal Ahmad and all the other poets we’ve translated, please visit our website www.poetrytranslation.org.

 If you would like to support the Poetry Translation Centre please visit poetrytranslation.org/support-us

Direct download: PP_Kajal_Directions_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:42am UTC