In January 2022, the Griffin Poetry Prize launched Translation Talks, a series of conversations about translation and poetry where past shortlisted and winning authors are invited to discuss their craft.
Valzhyna Mort and erín moure
You can now listen to a recording of our fourth Translation Talks with renowned poet-translators Valzhyna Mort and Erín Moure on our SoundCloud!
Valzhyna Mort is the author of three poetry collections, most recently, Music for the Dead and Resurrected (FSG, 2020), winner of the 2021 International Griffin Poetry Prize and the UNT Rilke Prize, and named one of the best poetry books of 2020 by the New York Times. Born in Minsk, Belarus, Mort writes in English and Belarusian, and translates between English, Belarusian, Russian, Ukrainian, and Polish.
Erín Moure is a poet and poetry translator based in Montreal. She has published 18 books of poetry, a coauthored book of poetry, essays, articles on translation, a biopoetics and two memoirs, and is translator or co-translator of 26 books, mostly poetry, from French, Galician, Portunhol, Portuguese, Spanish, and Ukrainian (with Roman Ivashkiv) into English.
Ali Kinsella, Dzvinia Orlowsky, and Mira Rosenthal
Listen to our third iteration of Translation Talks, featuring Ali Kinsella and Dzvinia Orlowsky in conversation with Mira Rosenthal.
Ali Kinsella and Dzvinia Orlowsky were finalists for the 2022 Griffin Poetry Prize for Eccentric Days of Hope and Sorrow, translated from the Ukrainian written by Natalka Bilotserkivets (Lost Horse Press). Mira Rosenthal was a 2014 Griffin finalist for Colonies (Zephyr Press), translated from the Polish written by Tomasz Rózycki. This event took place on Zoom on Thursday, November 3rd, 2022. It was moderated by Griffin Poetry Prize social media director Mirene Arsanios and editorial director Adriana Oniță.
Ani Gjika and Dunya Mikhail
On Thursday, March 10th, we hosted our second Translation Talks, featuring Ani Gjika in conversation with Dunya Mikhail. Ani Gjika was a finalist for the 2019 International Griffin Poetry Prize for her translation of Luljeta Lleshanaku‘s Negative Space (Bloodaxe Books/New Directions, 2018). Dunya MIkhail was a finalist for the 2006 International Griffin Poetry Prize for The War Works Hard (New Directions, 2005), translated by Elizabeth Winslow. Listen to a podcast of the live Zoom event below.
Khaled Mattawa and Sarah Riggs
Our first Translation Talks, featuring Khaled Mattawa in conversation with Sarah Riggs, took place on Thursday, January 27th at 7pm ET on Zoom. It was moderated by Griffin Poetry Prize social media director Mirene Arsanios and editorial director Adriana Oniță.
Khaled Mattawa was a finalist for the 2017 International Griffin Poetry Prize for his translation of Adonis: Selected Poems (Yale University Press, 2016). Sarah Riggs was the 2020 International Griffin Poetry Prize winner for her translation of Etel Adnan’s Time (Nightboat Books, 2019). Listen to a podcast of the live Zoom event below.