Saturday, July 12, 1-3 p.m., Orcas Library
— from JoEllen Moldoff —
John Friedmann will read from his new translations of Rilke’s Sonnets to Orpheus, and discuss the intricacies of the translation process. A limited number of bound copies of this translation will be available for $10.
The Sonnets are Rilke’s last large-scale work, dating from 1922 and were written towards the end of his other great poetic cycle, The Duino Elegies. They express Rilke’s metaphysical belief in the unity of Life and Death. Using specific sonnets, we will be discussing Rilke’s philosophy and his intended meanings.
All are welcome!
John Friedmann divides his time between Orcas Island and Vancouver, B.C. where he is honorary professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of Community and Regional Planning. Some of his poems have been published in various small collections, but mostly he has written for his own delight. He also loves to translate poetry, especially the larger works of Garcia Lorca, Pablo Neruda, and Paul Celan. Mostly John writes academic books, of which he has published more than a dozen.
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