The Poem Itself
45 Modern Poets in a New Presentation, the French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian Poems, Each Rendered Literally in an Interpretative Discussion
Description:... "This unique anthology offers the English; speaking reader of foreign poetry an experience he has not had before-that of savoring, to the greatest degree, the foreign poem in its original tongue. In both matter and method this is a truly "modern" volume. The book deals with the work of 45 poets of the last hundred years, writing in French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Portuguese. Liberal sections are given from the early modernist, such as Holderlin, Nerval, Baudelaire and Leopard: the living artist are represented by such men as St.John Perse, Char, Neruda, Alberti, Montale, and Quasimodo. There are more than 150 poems in all. In method of presentation this volume is entirely new. Rather than a translation, which gives the reader an experience in English verse the actual foreign poem is [resented and illuminated with an extensive pose commentary. This commentary includes (1) a literal rendering interwoven with (2) an explanatory discussion of each poem. The result is an intimacy with the poem in its original language that has never been possible to the English-speaking reader before. The volume also includes an explanatory introduction, an essay on versification, and a guide to pronunciation. LIONEL TRILLING: "The Poem Itself is a remarkable enterprise and a strikingly successful one. The method of translation which its proposes and exemplifies is sound and right and will bring a new and intense kind of pleasure to many readers." ROBERT PENN WARREN: "The Poem Itself is ingenious , fascinating , and for anyone who is fascinated with poetry, permanently useful. In a special perspective , it dramatizes the problems of poetic language and in comment after comment, from the various hands, introduces the reader to new depths and angles of vision. JOHN CIARDI: "Certainly the best way anyone has yet found to get an English-speaking reader to the poetry of other languages. An exciting and radical new departure in the art of translation." SIR HERBERT READ: "I have lived with this book for several months and i have become increasingly indebted to it.......Reading poetry is a kind of prayer. This volume might be called the poet's prayer book". MARIANNE MOORE; "Mr. Burnshaw's intensive poetic energy and tireless patience with problems of presentation, these only could have made possible this anthology. I am fascinated by these studies and the manner of the renderings." THE NATION: 'A book that everyone concerned with poetry should own"- Publisher
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