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River Is Wide skillfully translates Mexican poets' works into English verse
Thursday, August 11, 2005
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6 Marlon L. Fick
'River Is Wide' skillfully translates Mexican poets' works into English verse
In the literary world, there probably is no braver act than translating a poem from one language to another.
Translation is tough enough when dealing with novels or nonfiction or short stories; the task of the translator is to preserve the tone, feel and cultural context of the original prose while also producing a clear and aesthetically pleasing translation. Add the complications of line breaks, rhythm and other
elements that make poetry poetry, and the job gets harder.
In general, the work of translators is undervalued. Essentially, they are writers who often do not get credited properly for their writing. So let it be said here: Marlon L. Fick is a fine writer. A poet himself, Fick, who divides his time between Mexico and the United States, teaches at Kansas State University. And he is the editor/translator of "The River Is Wide/El rio es ancho," a bilingual edition of verse by Mexican poets.
Published by the University of New Mexico Press, "The River Is Wide" is available in paperback or a more expensive hardcover edition. Either way, this book constitutes a superb investment in the translated poetry of Ruben
Bonifaz Nuno, Coral Bracho, Elsa Cross, Juan Cu, Jaime Sabines and 15 other writers well worth our time.
I confess my college Spanish is too rusty for me to offer much comment on Fick's specific decisions on how to make a specific poem flow from the original text into English. But I know enough to recognize that he has made every effort to preserve beauty. A good example: Elsa Cross' "Paseo," which is dubbed "A Walk" in the English version.
Also commendable is Fick's choice to feature 20 poets in this volume. The number turns out to be just right; the reader has ample time to discover the voice and personality of each poet, and yet there are enough writers here to give one an idea of the wonderful range of Mexican verse, from Hector Carreto's precise, often minimalist creations to the more expansive explorations of Ali Chumacero.
__________
"The River Is Wide/El rio es ancho: Twenty Mexican Poets; A Bilingual Edition"
Edited and translated by Marlon L. Fick, University of New Mexico Press, $39.95 hardcover, $21.95 paperback
__________
Bestsellers
1. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
2. "Natural Cures 'They' Don't Want You to Know About" by Kevin Trudeau
3. "Night Tales: Nightshade/Night Smoke" by Nora Roberts
Translation is tough enough when dealing with novels or nonfiction or short stories; the task of the translator is to preserve the tone, feel and cultural context of the original prose while also producing a clear and aesthetically pleasing translation. Add the complications of line breaks, rhythm and other
elements that make poetry poetry, and the job gets harder.
In general, the work of translators is undervalued. Essentially, they are writers who often do not get credited properly for their writing. So let it be said here: Marlon L. Fick is a fine writer. A poet himself, Fick, who divides his time between Mexico and the United States, teaches at Kansas State University. And he is the editor/translator of "The River Is Wide/El rio es ancho," a bilingual edition of verse by Mexican poets.
Published by the University of New Mexico Press, "The River Is Wide" is available in paperback or a more expensive hardcover edition. Either way, this book constitutes a superb investment in the translated poetry of Ruben
Bonifaz Nuno, Coral Bracho, Elsa Cross, Juan Cu, Jaime Sabines and 15 other writers well worth our time.
I confess my college Spanish is too rusty for me to offer much comment on Fick's specific decisions on how to make a specific poem flow from the original text into English. But I know enough to recognize that he has made every effort to preserve beauty. A good example: Elsa Cross' "Paseo," which is dubbed "A Walk" in the English version.
Also commendable is Fick's choice to feature 20 poets in this volume. The number turns out to be just right; the reader has ample time to discover the voice and personality of each poet, and yet there are enough writers here to give one an idea of the wonderful range of Mexican verse, from Hector Carreto's precise, often minimalist creations to the more expansive explorations of Ali Chumacero.
__________
"The River Is Wide/El rio es ancho: Twenty Mexican Poets; A Bilingual Edition"
Edited and translated by Marlon L. Fick, University of New Mexico Press, $39.95 hardcover, $21.95 paperback
__________
Bestsellers
1. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
2. "Natural Cures 'They' Don't Want You to Know About" by Kevin Trudeau
3. "Night Tales: Nightshade/Night Smoke" by Nora Roberts
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