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Translate a Poem

This workshop looks at a poem by the French poet Ariane Dreyfus.

We invite you to submit your own translation of the poem. As always we welcome a variety of approaches: close translations, 'freer' versions, after-images and metamorphoses of all kinds.

Original poem

RIEN N’EMPÊCHE D’AUTRES OISEAUX

By ARIANE DREYFUS

Elle s’arrête quand l’eau lui arrive à la taille
Regarde, avance à nouveau, et la mer infinie
La suit, traîne qu’elle sent à peine, la robe elle l’imagine

S’effacent ses omoplates de petite fille
À chaque fois qu’elle lève les coudes et se hausse
Car il fait froid
Mais l’eau est calme, pas embêtante

Frileux les autres sont restés derrière
C’est donc un instant de princesse

Elle baisse les yeux, mais pas la tête
À cause de sa couronne qui pourrait tomber
Regarde comment ses pieds glissent
Sur le sable
Parce qu’il est très loin les jambes ont grandi
Elles se tordent à plein de reflets
Le soleil y va, en profondeur
Et plus en profondeur la pointe des pieds
Pour aller jusqu’au sol intouché

L’eau presqu’à la poitrine, elle étire ses bras
Ainsi flottent les mains

Puis s’allonger, sinon comment voir que le ciel
Donne un si grand vertige, et les nuages en forme de personne?

Versions

You do not need to have translated poetry before to have a go at translating this poem, nor do you need to speak French fluently.

➔ Read a line-by-line literal translation by Olivia McCannon.

➔ Click play beneath to hear the original poem read by the poet:

» Submit your version

Poem in translation

As Birds Fly Unhindered

By Nick Buxton

When the water arrives at her waist she stops,
Considers, moves on, and the boundless sea
Accompanies her, a train she barely feels, a gown she imagines

Her little girl shoulder blades disappear
Each time she lifts her elbows and pulls back
For it is cold
But the water is calm, no trouble

The other sissies have stayed behind
So this is her princess moment

She lowers her eyes but not her head
In case her crown falls off
Observes the way her feet glide
Over the sand
Because it is far away her legs have grown longer
They writhe and shimmer beneath the waves
The sun goes deep
And deeper still the tips of her toes
To reach the untouched ground

The water almost at her chest, she stretches out her arms
To let her hands float

Then lies back, otherwise how can you see that the sky
Can make you so dizzy, and the clouds are like someone and no one?

» Read notes on translating this poem

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Help on translating this poem

You do not have to be a published poet or translator to send in your version, or to have ever translated a poem before. We welcome submissions from all. You can submit your version using the form below. Please note that submissions via this form for this project will not be considered for publication in MPT Magazine, and you should consult our submissions guidelines if you wish to submit something for publication.

Click here to read the translation notes by Susan Wicks.

Click here to read the translation notes by Olivia McCannon.

Press play beneath to listen to a podcast about the poem, featuring Olivia McCannon and Susan Wicks, recorded at the MPT Translation Duel at Ledbury Poetry Festival.

ONLINE WORKSHOP

Poetry Translation Workshop 2

By Amarjit Chandan

The poem below is by Najm Hosain Syed, a distinguished name in modern Punjabi literature.

First listen to the poem read out by the poet. View video >>

The point of our exercise, whether you know Punjabi or not, is to understand how the poem works and by close reading and translation to try to see/understand what constitutes the poetry of it. And through a foreign languag...

» Read more

TRANSLATION FEATURE

The Traveller – A Tribute to Michael Hamburger

By Charlie Louth

Michael Hamburger’s achievement is all of a piece, though it is at the same time so various. The three main strands of his work, as poet, translator and critic, have always been twisted together into a single cord which though it can be separated out is most remarkable and distinguished as a whole. What gives his translations and essays their authority is his own work as a writer...

» Read more

MPT WORKSHOPS

Poetry Translation Workshops

The MPT Editors have had the opportunity to run poetry translation workshops in schools, and as part of poetry courses such as Arvon, and poetry festivals including Aldeburgh over the last few years. They have also participated in a workshop organised by the British Council in Russia. MPT Board members such as Amarjit Chandan have also been involved in running poetry translation...

» Read more

Submit your version

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