It is really fascinating to see my work in German, and I wish I was familiar enough with the language to appreciate the skill and nuances of the three translations. I can see straightaway however that no two lines have been translated in exactly the same way! - which brings up the familiar point: there is no such thing as a "correct" translation of a poem; each translation reflects the interpretation and "ear" of the particular translator, and is perfectly valid in its own way.

I did ask my husband, who has a reasonable knowledge of German, to look at the translations, and he made a few observations which might be of interest. He felt that all three versions were sympathetic, and intriguing in their own way: the first seemed to be a more precise, literal translation; the second seemed to capture particularly closely the rhythms and poetic diction of English; while the third felt more imaginative and interpretive, and sounded particularly fluid in German.

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Caroline Price