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Freya Rohn's avatar

Inspiring to think of people craving reading like that, in community, around the table, page by page. I'm also fascinated by the many layers of translation, particularly with poetry. Have you read Christian Wiman's translations "inspired by" Osip Mandelstam? They're glittering and brilliant. Wiman talks of his translations as 'versions' of Mandelstam's poems, about how any translation is a conversation between writers, a 1 + 1 = 3 situation, where it's not word for word but there is a core of meaning that gets exposed. reverberated. Really love thinking about translations of poetry in that way.

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Kenneth James's avatar

Unless I absolutely have to, unless it is required by forces beyond my control, I try not to do much regretting. But I've wondered from time-to-time what it would have been like to have family and friends who would be willing to read poetry together, or sing together, or do just about anything that doesn't involve television and mindless commercial culture.

A few times in the past when with others I've suggested reading poetry or a short story. Nobody has ever taken me seriously. They just laugh. Maybe they're afraid of the intimacy, or of the thoughts and feelings that a good piece of writing might evoke. Heaven forbid. Heaven forbid we should mingle our minds and our hearts in the pursuit of beauty and truth.

It sounds as though you have a wonderful and rich heritage from which your soul and your writing have blossomed. I know you cherish it. Thank you for sharing a little glimpse with us.

But the ring tone on that phone has got to go.

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