apart from Joris' idiomatic and deeply dwelt, thoughtful translations of
Celan, the only really successful English versions I know are those
--mostly still unpublished -- by Susan Gillespie -- watch for them here
and there. Significantly, she is also a longtime student of
Hoelderlin's work. She lived for years in Germany, and that shows up in
a sense of (almost) ease with the fact of language.
But as Clark observes, there's not much out there, and the
German-speakers fumble the signifieds as well as we do.
Salut!
Robert
Douglas Clark wrote:
>
> There is currently a thread on rec.arts.books concerning Michael
> Hamburger's translations of Celan and H\"olderlin. I was wondering
> if Pierre Joris would like to comment.
>
> REgarding the H\"olderlin I find it difficult to understand the
> acclaim for the later poems in Hamburger's translation. I do have
> other translations but it is Hamburger I tend to return to.
> I consider him a pretty lousy poet himself and am troubled that
> it may be reflected in his poetry.
>
> Regarding Celan outside the DEathfugue I see his work in English
> as resembling brilliant fragments and dont think any translator
> could really cope. Even Germans find him difficult, as H\"olderlin
> is difficult as he bends his language to the Greek sway.
>
> Comments welcome.
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