David Karashima was so, so kind to brave the time difference and speak to us on Friday. His talk was a little beyond my realm of understanding at times (as far as nitty-gritty publication details go), but for the most part, it was accessible and very engaging. I have never read any Japanese author besides Murakami, so I never would have known that Japanese publishers prefer shorter-length books. Overall, I really enjoyed Karashima's talk and both of his presentations.
As far as the Boris Dralyuk readings go, I think the "Translator Note" sections under all three readings were a lot more insightful than just the poems themselves, as I have no idea what the originals entail. For example, I really loved Dralyuk's description of the "O" use in the poem Time, and how he also used it as a double entendre in English, as it is used in the original. Dralyuk mentioned the rhyme scheme in the poem Neighbor, but he didn't mention it as far as the other translations go. There are some single-line rhymes in the others, and I am wondering if those were accidental or in accordance with the original. I can definitely relate to Dralyuk holding Nemirovskaya in such high regard, and always finding him going back to her poems. I think there is a poet out there for everybody, one that you adore and speaks right to your soul, and Dralyuk has found his. Even better, he can do the world a favor and bring her voice to a wider audience through translation. It's wonderful! :)
Sarah
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