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Hi Alison, sorry to catch this thread after it's already expired, but it was good to read an appreciative review of a poetry translation that pays such close attention to what the translator is doing. Most often the translator is made invisible by reviewers or if visible only to be subjected to an onslaught of nit-picking. I hope it won't look like I'm indulging in the same but Manson's version of 'Salut' doesn't look to me "as close you can get to experiencing the intoxicating fascination of Mallarmé's work". Translating the title 'Salut' as 'Greeting' rather than, say 'Toast' already loses a primary sense and context. (I'm sure Manson knows this, and maybe the accompanying notes enlarge on the question.) When Mallarmé repeats 'salut' later, Manson uses 'benison' which is archaic and religiose, and I'd have thought moves the poem in awrong direction (whereas other twists like 'showboating', I agree, are playful and inventive). The play on the 'coupe - 'la coupe de champagne'? - with its foam (écume) which links cup to boat and then opens up the sea and sail imagery with which the poem ends is far harder to trace or even guess at in the translation. It's a tricky question because the poem has a well-known history and was first read at a dinner to fete the poet, but also used as an introductory poem for editions of his work. Perhaps Manson is following Marchal here who sees Mallarmé moving away from actual circumstance to "the poetic": "'Salut' n'est plus un 'Toast' porté au septième banquet de La Plume, mais un salut initial au lecteur, et une dédicace de l'oeuvre." Roger Pearson argues with this as "not strictly true.because. 'Bibliographie' carefully added by Mallarmé at the end of Poésies precisely reminds us of its textual history and implicitly invites us to note and explore the relationship between circumstance and finished poem." Though the translation certainly has merits it seems to have effaced much of this history and, on the level of word-choice and imagery, it left me somewhat stranded. That said, anyone prepared to grapple with the complexities of Mallarmé deserves a warm Salut. Jamie ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alison Croggon" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2012 6:27 AM Subject: Peter Manson's Mallarme translations > Belatedly reviewed for Overland Journal: > > http://overland.org.au/blogs/poetry-fiction-reviews/2012/10/and-what-an-ear-on-mansons-mallarme/ > > xA > > -- > Editor, Masthead: http://www.masthead.net.au > Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com > Home page: http://www.alisoncroggon.com