Translate Poems!

Visit CIRCUMFERENCE, a journal of poetry in translation. In protest of the recent U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control’s decision to prohibit publishers from editing works authored in nations under trade embargoes, the editors plan to dedicate an issue to the poetry in translation from Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya and Cuba. Here is their letter which was forwarded to me by a friend:




Subject: Circumference Responds to recent headlines

Dear Friends,


As many of you know ³The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign

Assets Control recently declared that American publishers cannot edit works

authored in nations under trade embargoes which include Iran, Iraq, Sudan,

Libya and Cuba.²


As the editors of CIRCUMFERENCE, a journal of poetry in translation founded

on principles of free and open exchange, we want to respond to this issue

in the most direct way that we can. We would like to dedicate a substantial

section of our next issue to poetry from these countries.


We are firm in our belief that not only do we have the right to do this,

but that translators working from the languages of these countries are

providing an incomparable and necessary service to audiences in this

country. Cross-cultural exchange through poetry and translation is a force

to be reckoned with.


We are writing in the hope that you will assist us in this effort in any

way you can: by helping us to gather work for the issue, by recommending

translators working on the poetry of these languages, by sending us your

own translations, and by spreading the word about this project.


The issue is projected to go to press in early summer. We will collect

translations through mid-April. CIRCUMFERENCE publishes all poems in the

original language alongside the English translation, so please ask

translators to send the original along as well. For more information about

CIRCUMFERENCE, visit our website at www.circumferencemag.com.


Thanks so much for your support and for any suggestions you might have.


With best wishes,


Stefania Heim & Jennifer Kronovet

Editors

editors@circumferencemag.com

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CIRCUMFERENCE

P.O. Box 27

New York, NY

10159-0027

Translate a few poems yourself and spread the word. Help these principled editors put together an outstanding issue!