Articles

'Finding an Audience'

Could there be an audience in Bristol eager to hear poetry from Somaliland and Sudan on a Sunday afternoon? W.N. Herbert is delighted to find there was. Read the blog for his account of the World Poets' Tour event at the Bristol Poetry Festival.

'Poetry in the Bay'

by Charles Beckett

Coach D. I'm sitting opposite two of the world's greatest living poets. Gaarriye is pinching my salt and vinegar crisps. Farzaneh Khojandi is asking, through her friend and translator, Narguess Farzad, about Welsh place names. I am not being much help.

'Somali Night at the Bluecoat'

by Charles Beckett

I never realised the Moon landings had such a profound and far-reaching effect. For Corsino Fortes, driving his battered Peugeot 204 from Kuito to Luanda, the moment he heard the Americans had touched down was a revelation. He stopped the car, got out, put his hands on his head and looked up at the sky.

'Reading Room - Six Poets and Six Translators at the British Library'

by Julia Bird

Julia Bird, the Poetry Translation Centre's tour manager, takes stock of our gala reading at the British Library.

'Manchester Central '

by Charles Beckett

The Conference Room in Manchester Central Library was packed with eager listeners for this event with three of our poets and their translators. It provided a very grand setting, with panelled walls and high sash windows. By the time we kicked off it was standing room only and there must have been at least sixty people in the audience.

'Translating Cultures through Poetry'

by Susannah Tarbush

Susannah Tarbush wrote this article on poetry in translation and the 2008 World Poets' Tour for The Saudi Gazette.

Some Thoughts on Co-Translating Gaarriye

W N Herbert offers a fascinating insight into how he approached co-translating Somali poetry. In this essay he describes his induction into the marvellous complexities of Somali verse and how he came to terms with the formal dexterities of Gaarriye's 'non-lyric' poetry.

'The Bards of Somalia'

by Rageh Omaar

Rageh Omaar introduces the dynamic tradition of Somali poetry in 'The Bards of Somalia' on BBC Radio 4. The programme features interviews with translators Martin Orwin and W N Herbert and the PTC Director, Sarah Maguire as well as poetry by Maxamed Xaashi Dhamac 'Gaarriye'.