Poems in Portuguese on Revista Caliban

The Portuguese literary magazine Revista Caliban has just publshed two of my poems originally written in Maltese. The poems, “L-Imħabba l-Kapriċċ” and “Aċitilena,” appeared in my third collection, Klin u Kapriċċi Oħra, published by Klabb Kotba Maltin in 2015.

These poems appear here in English, beautifully translated by Albert Gatt, and Portuguese, translated by Rui Cóias.

Although it is said that Rui translated my poems from the English version, we talked about every line of the poems during the brilliant poetry translation workshop led by Yolanda Castaño on the island of San Simón in Galicia. We spent days discussing our poems and asking about the poems we were translating. (A few weeks ago, I published my translations of the other poets’ work, including Rui’s, on my website.)

When Rui read to me the first drafts of these translations, I was immediately captivated by the sounds and rhythms he produced. From the tone of his voice, from the emotions he created, I knew right away that he had a special feeling for these poems.

I’m so thankful and proud that Rui has given a new lease of life to these Maltese poems in another language, another literary tradition, another voice.

Grazzi mill-qalb, Rui.

Thanks also to the editor of Revista Caliban, Prof. Maria Joao Cantinho.

(Picture taken by Virginia Monteforte (Gia Monteforte) for Inizjamed at the Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival, Fort St Elmo, August 24, 2017).