MANA
Much has been said about the elusiveness of poetry and the language poets are in search of inside their own mother tongues. They thirst for new territories made of words, whose existence becomes eventually more real than the other(s) of their everyday lives. The spaces they create stretch beyond time or geographical maps. They are not only words but music, to the extent that a poem read in a language we have never learnt will often touch a chord, deep within us, through the sheer power of its rhythm. Others will claim that translating poetry is a daunting enterprise, because so much can be lost in the process. Such an abundance of differing views also testifies to the power of poetry, to all the flickers of light poets carry in their hands on our human paths, crossing all kinds of borders on their way.
In this new Mana section, we are honoured to present poets from all over the world. They write in English, French, Russian and Spanish. Their poems deeply moved us, whether they are related to such universal themes as childhood, loss and war or reflect and experiment with language.
Poet, translator and essayist Marilyn Hacker agreed to share her own experiences on writing and translating poetry.
Prose is also present in this issue with an excerpt from Sinjini Sengupta’s book “Elixir”.
by Cécile Oumhani (Editor)
CONTENTS
POETRY
CREATIVE PROSE
MANA SPECIAL FEATURE
Locked in Conversation: Cécile Oumhani interviews the American Poet and Translator, Marilyn Hacker