On these pages you can find reviews of our translations and events; interviews with our poets and translators; blog posts; and a selection of fascinating essays on translation by some of the UK’s best known poets and translators.
Three exciting poetry collections from the PTC coming up this year: Real by Karin Karakaşlı (tr. Canan Marasligil and Sarah Howe), The Thorn of Your Name by Víctor Terán (tr. Shook), and Translation of the Route by Laura Wittner (tr. Juana Adcock).
As the organisation celebrates 20 years since its founding and as Director Erica Hesketh steps down after an incredible 8 years in post, we are seeking a dynamic and creative individual to lead the next chapter in our story and to support the incredible team at the PTC to realise the next phase of our vital work.
Throughout 2024, the Poetry Translation Centre is celebrating its 20th birthday with a jam-packed programme of events, workshops, publications and prizes.
Poet Maura Dooley describes how she and Elhum Shakerifar translated Iranian poet, Azita Ghahreman, for the PTC’s Persian Poets’ Tour 2012. And how, at the end of the tour, she remembered the significant role that translation had played in her own parents’ courtship seventy years ago.
Nick Laird describes stages he went through translating Reza Mohammadi’s poems - from unsuccessful early drafts through a transformative experience of hearing Reza read - that led to the ‘weird pleasure’ of translating: ‘like opening your mouth and finding someone else’s voice come out’.
Poet Mimi Khalvati describes how much she enjoyed the experience of translating Afghan poet, Shakila Azzizada with Zuzanna Olszewska, a process she found much easier having translated Kurdish poet, Kajal Ahmad, with us in 2008.
Our evening of Persian poetry at The Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham prompted poet and academic, Gregory Leadbetter, to write this insightful article about what Eliot called ‘the auditory imagination’ and the significance of sound in translating, reading and listening to poetry.
Zuzanna Olszewska writes about the challenges and pleasures of translating Afghan poet, Shakila Azizzada, with Mimi Khalvati for the PTC’s Persian Poets’ Tour 2012
In this fascinating essay, poet Clare Pollard talks about how vital the process of learning about Somali culture - camels, khat and all - helped her translate Caasha’s poetry. And how she turned to early English alliterative verse for inspiration.
Translator Elhum Shakerifar discusses how she approached translating Iranian poet, Azita Ghahreman, with Maura Dooley. Elhum talks about the challenges of translating such a complex poet into English and how she and Maura responded to the difficulties they faced.
Translator Nataly Kelly’s article gives an introduction to the Shuar people, one of the largest Amazonian indigenous groups, of which poet María Clara Sharupi Jua is a member.
The Afghan poet, Partaw Naderi, was invited to take part in the PTC’s first World Poets’ Tour in 2005. In this article he writes about the excitment he felt at being invited to the UK and he reveals the true inspiration behind his poem, ‘Beauty’.
The Poetry Translation Centre works with leading poets and translators to share poetry from around the world with people across the UK. If you have read and enjoyed one of our poems please support us by making a donation today.