false translation exercise – Day 16 catchup

I thought it would be fun to practice doing false translations, so I took the writing prompt from NaPoWriMo as a jumping off point for Day 16, But, I’m posting it today because life. Since I first learned about this exercise while studying with Diane di Prima, I’ve become more compelled by this idea of the vagaries of translation: from language to language, from perspective to perspective, from identity construct to identity construct. How all we are and see and do alters our translation and perception so that really, everything becomes a translation filtered through our human, our animal skins.

I do not especially like this poem. In fact, it irritates me and I almost feel shamed by it. I’m posting it anyway because fuckit. (original poem follows)

Bimbo, nestled placenta

Bimbo, in cup of media

Morbid curtain of Pele

Enduring the putana

Rose red, flame of what disgrace

Red of your bloody body tongue

Appending the fat

Bimbo, ladled out there.

Bimba nella

placenta, bimba

sotto coperta,

nella corteccia

morbida di pelle,

indurita dal

bosco, rossa

come scottata,

rossa che nuoti nel

tuo sangue,

appena fatta, bimba

qui scodellata.

© Elisa Biagini

From: Cappuccio Rosso

Publisher: Einaudi