Featured poems

Portrait of Azita Ghahreman

The Boat That Brought Me

written by Azita Ghahreman
translated by Maura Dooley

Behind these eyes that look like mine 
old names are fading away, the past lies crumpled in my clenched fist -

زمستان که بیاید

زمستان بیاید
  شکل خودم   می شوم 

video audio We have a book related to The Boat That Brought Me

Portrait of Corsino Fortes

Postcards from the High Seas

written by Corsino Fortes
translated by Sean O'Brien

I

Crioula, you will tell the guitar
Of the night, and the dawn's small guitar

Postais do Mar Alto

I

Crioula ! dirás ao violão
Da noite e à viola do madrugar

video audio We have a podcast related to Postcards from the High Seas

Portrait of Caasha Lul Mohamud Yusuf

The Sea-Migrations

written by Caasha Lul Mohamud Yusuf
translated by Clare Pollard

Declaiming this poem, a gabay, I alliterate in D to start debate,
to disseminate, to disclose to you: the public.

Tahriib

Da'da gabayga dabuubtiyo murtida, doodda hadalkayga;
Waxaan uga danleeyahay inaan, danaha sheegaaye

audio We have a book related to The Sea-Migrations

Welcome

Welcome to The Poetry Translation Centre’s website. We’re a small organisation dedicated to translating contemporary poetry from Africa, Asia and Latin America. To date, we've translated 375 poems written in 27 different languages by 83 poets from 38 countries. On our website you'll find all these poems both in translation and in their original language, plus photos and videos of our events and information about what we do and how we translate.

What's going on

  • Three Persian Poets Read in Manchester

    Thursday 20th June 2013

    Photo to accompany event

    Back by popular demand, the first event of our Persian Poets' Tour of 2013 sees all three poets read alongside their poet-translators at the Anthony Burgess Foundation in Manchester.

  • Cardiff Central Library Hosts Three Persian Poets

    Saturday 22nd June 2013

    Photo to accompany event

    Azita Ghahreman, Reza Mohammadi and Shakila Azizzada read alongside their UK poet-translators, Maura Dooley, Nick Laird and Mimi Khalvati at a Saturday afternoon reading at Cardiff Central Library.

  • Workshop on Turkish Poet, Karin Karakaşlı, with Canan Marasligil

    Wednesday 26th June 2013

    Photo to accompany workshop

    In March the Free Word Centre's translator in residence, Canan Marasaligil, joined us for a workshop on the leading Turkish poet, Karin Karakaşlı. We'll be returning to Karin's poems with Canan for the final workshop of the summer.