If I locate it I will put out my translation of "Lament for Ignacio Sanchez Mejias" which, as you may know, was Written by Federico Garcia Lorca and where the title of this post comes from. Great poem with a lot of poor translations out there. You need to be a poet to create a good translation of a poem. It is more than trying to stay true to the meter and words - you need to stay true to the lyricism as well - even more importantly you need to convey the emotion of such a poem which most out there do not.
I love to translate poetry like the first stanza of a poem that is to be published this week - link forthcoming. Translation is harder for me as I only speak my own language well and just dabble in others all while Spanish speaking poets tend to be my favorites.
the whole of earth
the whole of earth is
beautiful and I carry
a broken watch,
waiting for it to move.
the whole of earth is
beautiful though
we still drop bombs
on weddings and taxi drivers.
the whole of earth is
beautiful;
I am holy in it.
I keep impoverished in
my pockets.
the whole of earth is
beautiful and
I remember when I first
got laid.
the whole of
earth is beautiful, we
watch home movies to remind.
the whole of earth is
beautiful regardless
of telephone poles,
regardless of
pornographic billboards.
the whole of earth is
beautiful, hearing
children play in the streets.
the whole of earth is
beautiful,
never to spite that which
vainly tries to
take its beauty.
- I wrote this
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