These Sappho translations are the work of many years of loyal dedication to the task of keeping her poems and fragments alive and fresh in modern English, because Sappho was always essentially modern and way ahead of her time - and possibly just just for now, because the world is becoming too mechanical and in in dire need of poems full of feelings, passions, and musicality - all of which Sappho had in abundance.
Anyway, I was so impressed with your post, Mike, that I did a printout of it last night, and it came to 33 pages - 33 pages of pure Sappho magic that has somehow - despite so much of it being burned by the church - endured for over two-and-a-half-thousand years, and still continues to speak to the human heart, as she truly believed it would.
Someone, somewhere
will remember us,
I swear!
—Sappho, fragment 147, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
Martin, it means so much to me that you take the time to read my enormous output and not get bored! You help me feel vindicated, so thanks. But far more importantly, these translations give more readers the opportunity to "feel" Sappho as we apprehend her. A good thing, I think.
That's exactly what I was speaking of in my comment - 'feeling' thing. In fact I can foresee a time in the 'age of the robot' when people will be turning to Sappho's works in order to learn how to 'feel' again.
One could do much worse than turn to our Immortal Sappho, and especially to the first "make love, not war" poem she wrote 2,500 years ahead of her time!
I'm glad you think so. Frankly, some of these translations are the best I've seen, and other poets have been translating Sappho for well over 2,000 years. So, "yay me!"
These Sappho translations are the work of many years of loyal dedication to the task of keeping her poems and fragments alive and fresh in modern English, because Sappho was always essentially modern and way ahead of her time - and possibly just just for now, because the world is becoming too mechanical and in in dire need of poems full of feelings, passions, and musicality - all of which Sappho had in abundance.
Anyway, I was so impressed with your post, Mike, that I did a printout of it last night, and it came to 33 pages - 33 pages of pure Sappho magic that has somehow - despite so much of it being burned by the church - endured for over two-and-a-half-thousand years, and still continues to speak to the human heart, as she truly believed it would.
Someone, somewhere
will remember us,
I swear!
—Sappho, fragment 147, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
Martin, it means so much to me that you take the time to read my enormous output and not get bored! You help me feel vindicated, so thanks. But far more importantly, these translations give more readers the opportunity to "feel" Sappho as we apprehend her. A good thing, I think.
That's exactly what I was speaking of in my comment - 'feeling' thing. In fact I can foresee a time in the 'age of the robot' when people will be turning to Sappho's works in order to learn how to 'feel' again.
One could do much worse than turn to our Immortal Sappho, and especially to the first "make love, not war" poem she wrote 2,500 years ahead of her time!
A stunning beautiful body of work, Michael!
A stunningly nice comment!
I'm glad you think so. Frankly, some of these translations are the best I've seen, and other poets have been translating Sappho for well over 2,000 years. So, "yay me!"
Yes, I’m here to tell you, yay you! Own it!
Glad we agree!
I love Kenneth Rexroth, he owned it!
The Tenth Muse
Whoosh
That is holy praise!
Yes, and she deserved it. She put the men to shame!
By the way, I ordered Violets for Beth from Amazon and O, Terrible Angel from Barns and Noble. Yeah!
I hope you like them. Please let me know what you think.
Of course I will.
I'll look forward to hearing which poems you like best. Beth likes them all, but I suspect she's a bit biased. ;-)
Of course she does, you honor her, cherish her and you are devoted to your wife and soul mate, a match made in heaven!
We've hit our share of rocks but managed to navigate them.
Well of course, rocks show up periodically, divine human love knows how to navigate.
The Poetess indeed
Blow me away Sappho