[Carl Copeland]

Thanks, Mignon. I’m so glad you enjoyed the translation and, if I did my job, the poet’s creation.

I try to do as neutral and literal a crib as possible, but you’re right that absolute literalism is impossible, and every crib, like every translation, will differ. I’m very impressed with the progress machine translators are making, but I just now tried Google Translate on this poem, and it makes some serious mistakes that I’d have to clean up, and then I’d be “influencing” again.

Originally Posted by mignon ledgard

Susan tries to stick to the original meaning and I think her translations of Rilke's poem are great. I think you do the same--I hope this is correct.

I hope so too. I do try to stay as close as possible to the original, while making it sound as if the poet could have written it in English. That’s my ideal. There are other, looser styles of translation, and some feel they have to find different words and forms to capture the “feel” of the original. But the result, as you suggest, will be half poet, half translator. That’s ok for a translator who’s also a great poet, but my half won’t pull its weight, so I try to minimize my share.

Originally Posted by mignon ledgard

I don't know if the effort to rhyme and stick to a form affects this, nor how much if it does.

Rhyme and meter complicate things, but I believe form is inseparable from content. Maybe we should talk about form-content, as we do about space-time. I’m willing to compromise a little in the form direction here and the content direction there, but I try not to stray too far in either direction. It’s a continual balancing act.

Originally Posted by mignon ledgard

Oh, I changed my poem according to your comment on "the future makes new space .." to "opens space'. I don't want to bump the thread, but would be most thankful if you skipped over and let me know what you think. Or suggestions?

Thanks for sending me back to that beautiful poem of yours. I prefer the version of that line that I suggested, but that’s hardly surprising, since it’s mine! I like your new version too.