[Adam Elgar]

I don't want to stop the discussions, so please do carry on, but here's a thread for the time-honoured voting of top 3 Bake-off entries. Andrew will post his votes on Monday, so meanwhile make your choices here.

Grazie tantissime to our astounding DG. A really exceptional display of insight and generosity.

And thanks to all the contributors - great discussions and such varied and skilled translations.

[Roger Slater]

#1: Marceline Desbordes-Valmore
#2: Heinrich Heine
#3: Gabriela Mistral

[Ann Drysdale]

First: 2. Heine
Second: 8. Key-Åberg
Third: 11. Paz

(A case of vote-and-run - I'm away for a couple of days and may not have Internet till Monday)

[Edward Zuk]

#1: Heinrich Heine
#2: Gabriela Mistral
#3: Benny Anderson

[Birthe Myers]

5. Petrarch
2. Heine
3. Ditlevsen

[Maryann Corbett]

First place to Heine.
Second to Rimbaud.
Third to Benny Anderson.

I know these choices have a lot to do with how I feel about the content of the original poems rather than purely the skill of the translation. I wish I could really sort these things out!

[Don Jones]

1. Heine
2. Key-Åberg
3. Rimbaud

If this Heine comes from the same translator, it is another ball hit out of the park.

Don

P.S. For me, this was the single best thread in Translation. Really interesting work in different directions. Andrew's commentary was diligent, thorough, daunting, and generous. Much for me to learn.

[Chris Childers]

This Bakeoff was much better for the level of discussion and Andrew's brilliant, thorough, generous contributions than for the level of the translations, which was uneven. I wish I had had more time and energy to devote to the conversation. Since I haven't had time to read through originals and cribs, my votes are for the interest and quality of the poems in English, rather than as translations qua translations:

1. Heine
2. Mistral
3. Rimbaud

Hon. mention: Benny Andersen.

C

[Seree Zohar]

1.TB2 Heinrich Heine - The Wind [for translation excellence]
2.TB 3: Marceline Desbordes-Valmore - The Tattered Wreath [for hard work with tough material]
3.TB 8: Sandro Key-Åberg - Now listen to Death [for a startling source-language poem and fabulous discussion]

I agree with Chris, above; the discussions are terrific. Warmest thanks to Andrew for immense work invested, and it is greatly appreciated; and to Adam too, for having to put up with poetic sticklerhood.

[Tim Murphy]

1. Andrew Frisardi
2. Andrew Frisardi
3. Andrew Frisardi

Tremendous event, the first of these I've paid much attention to, though it's no secret I regard the Translation Board as the best thing we currently have going. Thank you Adam.