Editors' Introduction
It feels like an era since the last issue. In keeping with recent issues of the magazine we've kept an acute focus on translation. This time around, instead of publishing an essay on translation, we have decided that it would benefit our readers more to be directly acquainted with some of the finest poetry that has recently been translated into English. Although Frost once famously remarked that "poetry is what's lost in translation", it is hard to agree with his opinion as poems included in this issue, that are not originally written in English, show much of poetic richness, elegance and thought.
Ezra Pound called translations of poems "versions", and this is very close to the truth, as a poem can never be exactly the same as its original. It is also true that some meaning is taken away via translation, but a good translator can also add something to the poem so that the final "version" appears even richer. We hope that this will be evident in the translations in this issue.
The Wolf 11 includes translated poems from The Poetry Translation Centre's recent World Poets' Tour which featured writers from six non-European countries who gave readings at festivals and venues across the UK from Edinburgh to Cardiff - readings which included a memorable night at London's Brunei Gallery where 350 punters crammed in to see poets from Afghanistan, Sudan and Somalia. The tour brought together pairings of poets who would never have previously read each other. One such pairing, included in The Wolf 11 was David Harsent and 'Gaarriye'. Our thanks to the PTC for allowing us to print a selection of the poets who toured and congratulations on the tour itself and for creating something so innovative and essential for the future of poetry in this country. It is refreshing to see translation in poetry looking to the wider world; at the cultures that are also part of our own; at countries in the African or Arab world who we often only consider by associating them with images of poverty or war.
On a different note, we'd like to say a few quick thank you's, firstly to David Harsent, the recent recipient of the Forward prize for Best Collection, who provided us with a captivating interview. It has to be one of the best interviews in our three and a half years, not just for the insights it gives us into the working practice of one of the best writers currently using the English language, but also for its openness in describing the impulses behind his prize-winning collection Legion.
The Wolf 11 features more new poets to the magazine than ever before, which is very exciting for us. We've never been about publishing a clique of writers, or a forum for back-slapping or publishing tired verse by poets just because of reputation. We are open to submissions from anyone. As a more progressive view of translation can help us to discover: it's a big world out there!
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