Ricochet is a bilingual collection of word sonnets by one of the chief innovators of the form, Seymour Mayne. It includes three sequences of pithy and evocative poems that encapsulate moments of sharp perception while also drawing attention to instants of humour that suddenly appear in daily life.
Concise and visual in effect, word sonnets are fourteen line poems, with one word per line. Frequently allusive and imagistic, they can also be irreverent and playful. While informed by other short poetry forms such as the Haiku, Mayne’s word sonnets are deeply influenced by the Talmudic tradition of maxims, proverbs and images that instruct and inform everyday life.
Presented with an excellent translation of the poems into French, Ricochet is a unique volume that showcases this innovative new form. The collection also includes a short preface by the poet and an introductory essay by the translator on the challenges of translating word sonnets.
Book details
-
Publisher
-
Original text
Yes -
Language
English -
Original language
English -
Publication date
-
Page count
152 -
Translator
-
Theme
About the author
Seymour Mayne
Seymour Mayne is the author, editor or translator of more than fifty books and monographs. His writings have been translated into many languages, including French, German, Hebrew, Polish, Russian, and Spanish. His latest collections include Light Industry< (Mosaic Press, 2000), Ricochet: Word Sonnets (Mosaic Press, 2004), September Rain (Mosaic Press, 2005) and Les pluies de septembre (Éditions du Noroît, 2008), his selected poems translated into French by Pierre DesRuisseaux. He serves as Professor of Canadian Literature, Canadian Studies, and Creative Writing at the University of Ottawa.
---
Seymour Mayne a écrit, édité ou traduit plus de cinquante volumes et monographies. Ses écrits ont été traduits en plusieurs langues, dont le français, l’allemand, l’hébreu, le polonais, le russe et l’espagnol. Ses dernières publications comprennent Light Industry (Mosaic Press, 2000), Ricochet: Word Sonnets (Mosaic Press, 2004), September Rain (Mosaic Press, 2005); et Les pluies de septembre : poèmes choisis, traduit de l’anglais par Pierre DesRuisseaux (Éditions du Noroît, 2008). Il est professeur de littérature, de création littéraire et d’études canadiennes à l’Université d’Ottawa.
You will also like
