Paul Cunningham's Blog, page 4
October 16, 2019
Words by Helena Österlund now available from OOMPH! Press
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Yesterday was the official release of my translation of Helena Österlund’s Words! Now available from OOMPH Press! Many, MANY thanks to the OOMPH editorial team — Alex Gregor, Daniel Beauregard, and Laura Theobald. I am so very grateful to you for giving my translation a home (and as a bilingual edition, no less). Copies are available for $17.50 (which includes shipping).
From the Translator’s Note:
“Words” is one of two long poems that make up Helena Österlund’s 2010 collection Ordet och färgerna (Words and Colors). “Words” is comprised of three sections: “Was,” “Is,” and “Will.” There are times when we see what the poem’s speaker sees. There are times when we see what the poem’s speaker saw. And there are times when we learn of what the speaker will see. In “Words,” the future often feels reminiscent of the past. At first glance, there’s a deceivingly minimalistic sparseness to the poems. Visibly, the language might appear simple, but the poems are quite complex. Like John Cage’s own meticulously arranged patterns, blank measures, and rests, “Words” is its own musical nervous system of intricacies.
I translated the first draft of this book when I was still living in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield – time made possible from a generous fellowship I received at the end of my MFA at the University of Notre Dame. It feels surreal, almost five years later, to be holding a physical copy of WORDS. This has been one of the most challenging projects I’ve ever completed and I am so, so proud of this work. How can I ever thank Johannes Göransson for encouraging me to translate and write bilingual poems, to write my strangest poems, for helping me with my Swedish, for pushing me to go beyond what I thought was possible in my writing?
It has been a dream to work with Helena and I hope to celebrate in Sweden with her one day in the future! Skål!
September 17, 2019
Amanda Berenguer’s Materia Prima: A Review
As part of National Translation Month, the Kenyon Review has featured my micro-review of Uruguayan poet Amanda Berenguer’s first English-language collection of poems, Materia Prima:
“Containing selections from eight different books (1966-2010) and eight different translator-poets (Gillian Brassil, Anna Deeny Morales, Kristin Dykstra, Kent Johnson, Urayoán Noel, Jeannine Marie Pitas, Mónica de la Torre, and Alex Verdolini), this interstellar bilingual edition from Ugly Duckling Presse is the first English-language collection of Berenguer’s poetry. The lyrical properties of these poems, or expanding structures, or metallic entities, are positively explosive when it comes to the ways they challenge the senses.”
Read the rest of my micro-review and the other 12 micro-reviews [here]
September 2, 2019
Poet and translator Johannes Göransson says that instead of...
Poet and translator Johannes Göransson says that instead of watching Midsommar, you should read my translation of Words by Helena Österlund. (You could probably do both.) Check out the book trailer above!
OOMPH! Press is
distributing Words as 156-page bilingual edition (available to purchase
on October 15, 2019). However, if you pre-order the OOMPH! bundle,
you’ll not only receive my book in October, but you’ll also receive an instant download of an e-chapbook of Jake Syersak’s translation of Mohammed Khaïr-Eddine‘s FIRST BREATHS.
All four books are currently available to pre-order as a bundle offer for $40. The bundle includes: FIRST BREATHS by Mohammed Khaïr-Eddine (Morocco)
translated from French by Jake Syersak; Embracing the Sparrow-Wall, or 1 Schumann-Madness by Friederike Mayröcker (Austria) translated from German by Jonathan Larson; Expendables by Emma Villazón (Bolivia) translated from Spanish by Thomas Rothe; and WORDS by Helena Österlund (translated by me).
You can pre-order the bundle now [here]
August 9, 2019
This is the trailer for my forthcoming translation of Helena...
This is the trailer for my forthcoming translation of Helena Österlund’s WORDS. OOMPH! Press is distributing it is as 156-page bilingual edition (available to purchase on October 15, 2019). However, if you pre-order the OOMPH! bundle, you’ll not only receive my book in October, but you’ll also receive an e-chapbook of Jake Syersak’s translation of Mohammed Khaïr-Eddine‘s FIRST BREATHS as an instant download.
All four books are currently available to pre-order as a bundle offer for $30. The bundle includes: FIRST BREATHS by Mohammed Khaïr-Eddine (Morocco)
translated from French by Jake Syersak; Embracing the Sparrow-Wall, or 1 Schumann-Madness by Friederike Mayröcker (Austria) translated from German by Jonathan Larson; Expendables by Emma Villazón (Bolivia) translated from Spanish by Thomas Rothe; and WORDS by Helena Österlund (translated by me).
You can pre-order the bundle now [here]
July 20, 2019
“Feast Green & Stained”: Creature Comforts Exhibition/Watkinsville Woods
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Had a great time with artist/collaborator Chris Xavier at Creature Comforts Brewery this past Thursday for opening night of the Broadside Exhibition! The exhibition includes eight illustrated poem collaborations between local visual artists and poets:
May Hitchings & Grace Donnelly
Christopher Ingham & Meredith Elder
Savannah Jensen & Savannah Guenthner
Abby Kacen & Mariah Parker
Jackie Kirsche & Lisa Smartt
Gunnar Tarsa & Wesley Peebles
Abigail West & Lindsay Troutman
Chris Xavier & Paul Cunningham
All of the original artwork will be for sale through the Creature Comforts Gallery through the show’s closing day (August 18). Digital prints are for sale through The K. A. Artist Shop – which is generously sponsoring this project.
If you missed opening night, don’t miss the next event: Art in the Park (Saturday, July 27th):
“OCAF and Creature Comforts will host an opening event on Saturday, July 27th from 1:00-4:00 at the Watkinsville Woods, where everyone is welcome to come check out the wonderful artwork. We will also be hosting a stamp making activity, where kids and adults both can design a stamp based on the beautiful plant-life of the woods!”
July 17, 2019
My translation of Helena Österlund’s Words – now available for pre-order
It took me nearly four years to translate Helena Österlund’s massive 2010 debut book of poetry Words and Colors (Ordet och färgerna). It goes without saying: this very challenging project has meant so, so much to me. Translation means so much to me. Endless thanks to Johannes Göransson for exposing me to Helena’s work.
At 178 pages, I feel quite lucky that OOMPH! Press was willing to publish the first part – Words – as a 156-page bilingual print book. Many thanks to the OOMPH editorial team: Alex Gregor, Daniel Beauregard, and Laura Theobald.
My translation of Words is now available to pre-order! If you opt for this discounted $35 pre-order flight (which includes shipping to the states, the UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy), you will *also* receive an e-chapbook of Jake Syersak’s translation of Mohammed Khaïr-Eddine’s First Breaths; Jonathan Larson’s translation of Friederike Mayröcker’s From Embracing the Sparrow-Wall , or 1 Schumann-Madness (a 46-page bilingual edition); and Emma Villazón’s translation of Thomas Rothe’s Expendables (a 62-page bilingual edition). That’s four books for $35!!
Skål!! 
February 9, 2019
This will be my last Tumblr post. I will no longer be using...
This will be my last Tumblr post. I will no longer be using Tumblr. I won’t be posting new things here anymore. Feel free to sift through my Tumblr archives, but for new posts you will have to follow me at my new site instead:
https://paulcunninghamwrites.wordpress.com/
Thank you for following me all these years!
January 26, 2019
The Wild Boys (2017) Directed by Bertrand Mandico
The Wild Boys (2017) Directed by Bertrand Mandico
January 13, 2019
“Separation can be a terrifying thing.”Dead Ringers (1988)...
“Separation can be a terrifying thing.”
Dead Ringers (1988) Directed by David Cronenberg
Dead Ringers (1988) Directed by David Cronenberg
Dead Ringers (1988) Directed by David Cronenberg
