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| Arthur Sze | |
As part of his mission, U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze will release Transient Worlds, his personal guide to global poetry in translation. Published by Copper Canyon Press in association with the Library of Congress on April 14, 2026, Transient Worlds will take readers through 1,500 years of poetry, featuring translations into English from 13 languages, including Arabic, Braj Bhasha, Greek, Japanese, Navajo, Spanish, and Tzeltal.
"Translation, indeed, is everywhere; and English, a composite and growing language, has been enriched and strengthened over time by accruals from languages across the world," Sze said. "Translation makes the ancient contemporary, the foreign accessible, and the human experience universal."
Organized into 15 sections or "zones," each with its own poem or series, Transient Worlds will showcase translations from established and first-time translators alike, with Sze exploring the varied linguistic and artistic decisions each translator makes. The book will also offer materials and strategies for readers to respond to poems written from across continents and through centuries. It concludes with an appendix designed for instructors who want to incorporate translation into their curriculums.
"Translation, after all, builds bridges and makes connections," Sze said. "The more we give, the more everyone has, and poetry in translation plays a vital role in bringing us together."