Modern Poetry in Translation

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When Ted Hughes and Daniel Weissbort founded MPT in 1965 they had two principal ambitions: to get poetry out from behind the Iron Curtain into a wider circulation in English and to benefit writers and the reading public in Britain and America by confronting them with good work from abroad. They publ…

Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine


    • Mar 25, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 13m AVG DURATION
    • 112 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Modern Poetry in Translation

    Catalan Edition | Ronald Puppo speaks with AKaiser and Marialena Carr

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 80:16


    Featuring poetry and translation from MPT Your Language Anticipating Mine: Focus on Catalan, hosted by Ronald Puppo with AKaiser and Marialena Carr For a transcript and to find out more, visit mptmagazine.com/mpt-podcast-catalan-edition-ronald-puppo-speaks-to-kaiser-and-marialena-carr/

    Cindy Juyong Ok speaks to Sarah Hesketh - on translating Kim Hyesoon, and more

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2024 36:54


    Cindy Juyong Ok speaks to Sarah Hesketh, on translating Kim Hyesoon - and more. Cindy Juyong Ok's translations feature in MPT Fresh and Salt: Focus on Water. Find out more about this issue on our website: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/magazine/fresh-and-salt-focus-on-water/

    Two poems by Batool Abu Akleen - translated by Batool Abu Akleen and Cristina Viti

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2024 5:15


    Published in MPT Salam to Gaza: Focus on Dissent and Resistance: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/magazine/salam-to-gaza-focus-on-dissent-and-resistance/

    sound of a jaw harp in the labelling factory: Jike Ayou, translated by Yě Yě

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2024 1:34


    Published in MPT Salam to Gaza: Focus on Dissent and Resistance: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/magazine/salam-to-gaza-focus-on-dissent-and-resistance/

    Two poems: Henri-Michel Yéré, translated by Todd Fredson

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2024 6:41


    Published in MPT Salam to Gaza: Focus on Dissent and Resistance: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/magazine/salam-to-gaza-focus-on-dissent-and-resistance/

    Politics' Corpse Covered with the Morning Paper: Afrizal Malta translated by Daniel Owen

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2024 6:17


    Published in MPT Salam to Gaza: Focus on Dissent and Resistance: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/magazine/salam-to-gaza-focus-on-dissent-and-resistance/

    Salam to Gaza: Hussein Barghouthi, translated by Suneela Mubayi

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2024 10:56


    Salam to Gaza: Hussein Barghouthi, translated by Suneela Mubayi. We are grateful to Suneela Mubayi for providing these recordings, featuring a live reading from the event "Nakba Then and Now: Refuse Silence" published on YouTube by The Radical Book Collective and the Polis Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfuqn34gY_I&t=5839, followed by an original recording of the poet Hussein Barghouthi reading the poem.

    Destruction of Texts: Yi Sang, translated by Translated by Jack Jung from Korean

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2024 10:52


    Destruction of Texts: Yi Sang, translated by Translated by Jack Jung from Korean by Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine

    Two poems by Amelia Rosselli, translated by Roberta Antognini and Deborah Woodard from Italian

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2024 3:35


    Two poems by Amelia Rosselli, translated by Roberta Antognini and Deborah Woodard from Italian by Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine

    The Seamstresses, Missak Manouchian translated by Jennifer Manoukian from Western Armenian

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2024 2:19


    The Seamstresses, Missak Manouchian translated by Jennifer Manoukian from Western Armenian by Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine

    When Spring Comes, Najwan Darwish Tr. Kareem James Abu-Zeid

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2024 2:00


    When Spring Comes, by Najwan Darwish, translated by Kareem James Abu-Zeid. This recording made by Kareem James Abu-Zeid. Featured in MPT Bearing the Burden of Sameness: Focus on Care. Read this poem and more: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/magazine/bearing-the-burden-of-sameness-focus-on-care/

    Miss River Snail, Xinyang Wu, tr Tuoya Wulan

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2024 1:11


    Miss River Snail by Xinyang Wu, translated by Tuoya Wulan. This recording was made by Tuoya Wulan. Featured in MPT Bearing the Burden of Sameness: Focus on Care. Read this poem and more: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/magazine/bearing-the-burden-of-sameness-focus-on-care/

    A Song, Rabindranath Tagore, Tr Adrija Ghosh

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2024 1:53


    This recording made by Adrija Ghosh. Audio recording of the poem featured in MPT Bearing the Burden of Sameness: Focus on Care. Read these poems and more at: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/magazine/bearing-the-burden-of-sameness-focus-on-care/

    Care Advice, Ester Naomi Perquin, Tr David Colmer

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2024 2:42


    This recording made by David Calmer and Ester Naomi Perquin. Audio recording of the poem featured in MPT Bearing the Burden of Sameness: Focus on Care. Read these poems and more at: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/magazine/bearing-the-burden-of-sameness-focus-on-care/

    The Garden Must Tend Me, Abdullah O. Jimoh, Tr By The Poet

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2024 2:33


    This recording is by Abdullah O. Jimoh. Audio recording is of the poem featured in MPT Bearing the Burden of Sameness: Focus on Care. Read these poems and more at: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/magazine/bearing-the-burden-of-sameness-focus-on-care/

    Malta Focus - Khairani Barokka speaks with Adrian Grima and Albert Gatt

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2023 46:18


    This Podcast accompanies MPT Call the Sea A Poet: Focus on Malta. Khairani Barokka speaks with contributors Adrian Grima and Albert Gatt. Find out more about this issue on the MPT website: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/magazine/call-the-sea-a-poet-focus-on-malta/ A full transcript is available at https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/podcast-khairani-barokka-speaks-with-adrian-grima-and-albert-gatt/

    Nadia López García, ‘The Way of the Deer' - Tr. Gabriela Ramirez-Chavez & Whitney Devos from Spanish

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2023 3:18


    Nadia López García, ‘The Way of the Deer' - Tr. Gabriela Ramirez-Chavez & Whitney Devos from Spanish by Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine

    Sodïq Oyèkànmí, ‘river' - Translated by the poet from Yorùbá

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2023 2:58


    Sodïq Oyèkànmí, ‘river' - Translated by the poet from Yorùbá by Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine

    Concha Méndez, 'This Must Be My Last Loss' - Translated by Harriet Truscott from Spanish

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2023 0:54


    Concha Méndez, 'This Must Be My Last Loss' - Translated by Harriet Truscott from Spanish by Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine

    Jaku Mata, ‘Before the City Goes Under Water' - Translated by Eric Abalajon from Filipino

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2023 1:27


    Jaku Mata, ‘Before the City Goes Under Water' - Translated by Eric Abalajon from Filipino by Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine

    Kim Seon-Hyang, ‘Water Snake' - Translated by Darcy Paquet and Sun Kyoung Yoon from Korean

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2023 2:25


    Kim Seon-Hyang, ‘Water Snake' - Translated by Darcy Paquet and Sun Kyoung Yoon from Korean by Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine

    Dzifa Benson speaks to Khairani Barokka: On names, poetry, and the Ewe language

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2023 41:25


    Dzifa Benson speaks to MPT Editor Khairani Barokka: On names, poetry, and the Ewe language. The poetry in this podcast is featured in MPT Measureless Melodies, available at www.mptmagazine.com For a full transcript, see https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/dzifa-benson-speaks-to-khairani-barokka-on-names-poetry-and-the-ewe-language/

    Mosaddegh by Mohammad-Ali Sepanlou, translated by Siavash Saadlou

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2023 1:15


    Audio from MPT 'Call the Sea a Poet: Focus on Malta'. To read these poems in full visit www.modernpoetryintranslation.com

    'All Roads Lead To Rome' by Immanuel Mifsud, translated by Ruth Ward and Immanuel Mifsud

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2023 0:50


    Audio from MPT 'Call the Sea a Poet: Focus on Malta'. To read these poems in full visit www.modernpoetryintranslation.com

    'Forms of Nausea' by Aya Nabih, translated by Sara Elkamel

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2023 2:52


    Audio from MPT 'Call the Sea a Poet: Focus on Malta'. To read these poems in full visit www.modernpoetryintranslation.com

    Collection', by Priscilla Cassar, translated by Maria Grech Gannado

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2023 1:50


    Audio from MPT 'Call the Sea a Poet: Focus on Malta'. To read these poems in full visit www.modernpoetryintranslation.com

    'The Wave', by Maria Grech Gannado, translated by the poet

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2023 1:40


    Audio from MPT 'Call the Sea a Poet: Focus on Malta'. To read these poems in full visit www.modernpoetryintranslation.com

    ‘A Poet - Shark', By Hiền Trang, Translated By The Poet

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2023 1:08


    These recordings are of poems featured in April 2023 issue of Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine – Measureless Melodies: Focus on Vietnam. To read these poems and explore the issue see www.modernpoetryintranslation.com

    ‘Cac Co Cavern' and ‘Sweet Rice Ball, Afloat' by Hồ Xuân Hương, tr. by Mỹ Ngọc Tô.m4a

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2023 1:53


    These recordings are of poems featured in April 2023 issue of Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine – Measureless Melodies: Focus on Vietnam. To read these poems and explore the issue see www.modernpoetryintranslation.com

    ‘I Fell Into A Cold' By Nguyệt Phạm, Tr. By Phương Anh

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2023 2:50


    These recordings are of poems featured in April 2023 issue of Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine – Measureless Melodies: Focus on Vietnam. To read these poems and explore the issue see www.modernpoetryintranslation.com

    ‘Noon', By Phoebe Giannisi, Tr. Brian Sneeden

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2023 2:24


    These recordings are of poems featured in April 2023 issue of Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine – Measureless Melodies: Focus on Vietnam. To read these poems and explore the issue see www.modernpoetryintranslation.com

    ‘The Reflection Of Sadness', Baabusha Kohli, Tr. Rituparna Sengupta

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2023 3:10


    These recordings are of poems featured in April 2023 issue of Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine – Measureless Melodies: Focus on Vietnam. To read these poems and explore the issue see www.modernpoetryintranslation.com

    'Here In Vĩ Dạ Hamlet', Hàn Mặc Tử, Tr. By N.T. Anh

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2023 1:44


    These recordings are of poems featured in April 2023 issue of Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine – Measureless Melodies: Focus on Vietnam. To read these poems and explore the issue see www.modernpoetryintranslation.com

    Jhumpa Lahiri speaks to Khairani Barokka: On self-translation and turning to poetry

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2023 36:10


    Jhumpa Lahiri speaks to MPT Editor Khairani Barokka, discussing self-translation and writing poetry. The poems featured in this podcast were published in MPT 'Wrap it in Banana Leaves; the Food Focus' in 2022. You can find out more about this issue and subscribe on the MPT Magazine website: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/subscribe/ A full transcript of this podcast is available at https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/jhumpa-lahiri-speaks-to-khairani-barokka-on-self-translation-and-turning-to-poetry/

    Jhumpa Lahiri – Cupboard. From MPT No.3 2022. Wrap It in Banana Leaves: The Food Focus

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2022 0:52


    Jhumpa Lahiri – Cupboard. From MPT No.3 2022. Wrap It in Banana Leaves: The Food Focus by Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine

    Jhio Jan Navarro, ‘Smokestack' – Translated by Eric Abalajon from Hiligaynon

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2022 0:56


    Jhio Jan Navarro, ‘Smokestack' – Translated by Eric Abalajon from Hiligaynon by Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine

    Fu Hao, ‘Birthday' – Translated by the poet from Chinese

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2022 1:48


    Fu Hao, ‘Birthday' – Translated by the poet from Chinese by Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine

    Adriana Lisboa, ‘Bowl' Translated by Alison Entrekin from Brazilian Portuguese

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2022 0:37


    Adriana Lisboa, ‘Bowl' Translated by Alison Entrekin from Brazilian Portuguese by Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine

    Lee Jenny, ‘On Mornings I Drink Corn Soup' Translated by Archana Madhavan from Korean

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2022 4:20


    Lee Jenny, ‘On Mornings I Drink Corn Soup' Translated by Archana Madhavan from Korean by Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine

    Ervina Halili, ‘The March of the Earth' Translated by Suzana Vuljevic from Albanian

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2022 1:33


    Ervina Halili, ‘The March of the Earth' Translated by Suzana Vuljevic from Albanian by Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine

    Romanian Poetry: Sam Riviere & Cătălina Stanislav speak to Elena Vlădăreanu and Gabi Eftimie

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2021 47:27


    2021 Writers în Residence at MPT Sam Riviere & Cătălina Stanislav speak to Elena Vlădăreanu and Gabi Eftimie. For a transcript please visit: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/romanian-poetry-sam-riviere-catalina-stanislav-speak-to-elena-vladareanu-and-gabi-eftimie/

    Agnès Agboton, Astrid Alben, Lawrence Schimel and Clare Pollard – From MPT Clean Hands

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2021 36:45


    This podcast accompanies the spring 2021 MPT: Clean Hands: Focus on the Pandemic in Europe. This focus section includes a poems from the StAnza 'Windowswap' project – pairing up poets to share photos of the views from their windows and then respond in poetry form to their partner’s view. In this podcast Clare Pollard spoke to one of these poet pairs – Astrid Alben and Agnès Agboton, with translator Lawrence Schimel. Tune in for a discussion of poetry, the pandemic and writing through lockdown. Find out more about this issue at https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/magazine/clean-hands-2021-number-1/ Find the windows poems online at: https://stanzapoetry.org/festival/exhibitions/windowswap

    Chogwa Issue 5: Revisitation – Presented by Soje, MPT's 2020 Writer in Residence

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2020 29:03


    This podcast is presented by 2020 Writer in Residence, Soje. It is published as part of 'Chogwa 5: Revisitation', a special issue of chogwa zine, ion which Soje invites part contributors to revise any past chogwa translations and 'do what you want to do'. Read the issue online: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/chogwa-issue-5-revisitation/ Transcript of this podcast: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/chogwa-revisitiation-podcast-transcript/

    Haiku workshop, spring 2020: Alan Cummings speaks with Clare Pollard

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2020 25:48


    This podcast follows an online workshop on a selection of three haiku, chosen by Alan Cummings. Alan Cummings is Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies at SOAS University of London. He works on early modern Japanese literature and theatre. Amongst his translations is Haiku: Love (British Museum Press, 2013). The workshop focused on three haiku, by Enomoto Seifu, Yosa Buson and Sugita Hisajo. Find out more about the workshop: https://modernpoetryintranslation.com/workshop/haiku-workshop/ This workshop was generously sponsored by if:book as part of the Dot Award, set up to encourage literary authors to develop new work inspired by digital possibilities for literature.

    Erín Moure on 'Sonora: a Work in Progress' by Chus Pato – featuring Chus Pato and Lydia Mekonnen

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2020 11:05


    This podcast follows our recent online translation workshop on 'Sonora: a Work in Progress' by Galician poet Chus Pato. In this podcast, translator and workshop leader Erín Moure gives her feedback on the different translations submitted, and has selected her favourite to feature here. For a full transcription see www.modernpoetryintranslation.com

    MPT The Illuminated Paths – Maghreb Poets on Tour at Waterstones, Gower Street

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2019 82:43


    This is a live recording of the London launch of MPT The Illuminated Paths, featuring some of the most exciting emerging poets from across North Africa. As part of the British Council’s Majaaz project, ten poets writing in Arabic, Arabic dialect and Tamazight were brought together in Tunisia in summer 2018 with some of the UK’s best poets to make collaborative translations. This event celebrated the exhilarating translations that emerged from the project and the friendships that developed. Introduced by editor Clare Pollard, this podcast includes readings from Fatma Krouma and Ashref Kerkeni (Tunisia), Adil Latefi and Nassima Raoui (Morocco), Fadhila Bechar and Mohamed Rafik Taibi (Algeria), and the UK poet-translators Victoria Adukwei Bulley, Vidyan Ravinthiran, Stewart Sanderson, Adham Smart and Martha Sprackland.

    Khairani Barokka introduces 'My Body Is Stone, My House Is the Moon’

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2019 14:50


    For a full transcript please visit the project page http://modernpoetryintranslation.com/lakoat-kujawas-a-digital-pamphlet-curated-by-poet-in-residence-khairani-barokka/

    Tim Saunders reads ‘Porthpean’ – in English and Cornish

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2019 3:14


    Tim Saunders reads ‘Porthpean’ – in English and Cornish From MPT 'Our Small Universe: Focus on Languages of the United Kingdom', Spring 2019 See more at wwwmodernpoetryintranslation.com

    Christine De Luca reads ‘Dis life is nivver enyoch’ – in Shetlandic

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2019 5:12


    Christine De Luca reads ‘Dis life is nivver enyoch’ – in Shetlandic by Modern Poetry in Translation Magazine

    Gerda Stevenson reads ‘I am the Airt’ – in Scots

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2019 5:19


    Gerda Stevenson reads ‘I am the Airt’ – in Scots From MPT 'Our Small Universe: Focus on Languages of the United Kingdom', Spring 2019 See more at wwwmodernpoetryintranslation.com

    Liz Berry reads ‘Iron Oss’ – Black Country Dialect

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2019 3:42


    Liz Berry reads ‘Iron Oss’ – in Black Country Dialect From MPT 'Our Small Universe: Focus on Languages of the United Kingdom', Spring 2019 See more at wwwmodernpoetryintranslation.com

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