EIF Poetry Challenge #2: The Results!

I am happy to say I’ve had some interesting responses to, and interpretations of, this week’s challenge. I loved the way that poets came up with new ideas of translation, from translating well-known poems into a local dialect of English, to sign-language recordings of poems and songs synced to poetry readings and song lyrics. Thank you to poet and author Keith Kunkler (follow him on Twitter: @KeithKunkler) for making me aware of this art form. Please check out “This Is Me” interpreted by Sarah Tubert for a truly beautiful and moving example.

Special Mention

Laura Schmidt of Voyage of the Mind gets a special mention for her entry, Piping for the Flocks/The Wanderer. Laura was inspired by an Old English poem ‘The Wanderer’ and a Biblical passage from the Book of Deborah (originally written in Hebrew). The end result is a stunningly beautiful and haunting poem. Do head over to Voyage of the Mind to read the poem and learn more about its composition.

The Winner

This week’s winner is Hannah E. Stewart of A Little Bit of Happiness. She wrote an original poem, Manos, in Spanish and translated it into English herself. I think both versions of the poem are fantastic. Enhorabuena, Hannah! I would like to offer Hannah the opportunity to judge the next EIF Poetry Challenge as reward for her outstanding contribution. You can also find Hannah on Twitter @h_elisestewart.

Manos by Hannah E. Stewart

Manos son extraordinarias
Te muestran al mundo… y tu potential también.
En las lineas, la piel, las uñas, las cicatrices: te muestran tu alegría y dolor…

¡Mis manos son fuertes!
Pero, son delicadas también.

Tienen el poder de herir or curar.
de sentir,
de amar.

Ahora, mis manos sienten vacías.

Anhelan algo justo fuera del alcance…
Tienen fríos. Sienten que perdieron algo especial…

¿Te perdieron?

¿Tu tacto?

No sé.
No saben tampoco

Sienten más ligeros hoy en día,
como el ligero peso de algo falta

Pero con tiempo, mis manos sentirán llenos una vez más.
Podrían extrañar su tacto,

Pero, habrá otros.

Mis manos son fuertes y delicadas también.

Pueden hacer algunas cosas–

¿Ves?

Hecho cosas.
Escrito coas.
Siento cosas–todo con mis manos…

Y con ellas, puedo hacer algo nuevo.

***

Hands are extraordinary
They show you the world… and your potential too.
In the lines, the skin, the nails, the scars: they show you your joy and pain…

My hands are strong!
But they are delicate too.

They have the power to hurt or heal–
to feel,
to love.

Now, my hands feel empty.

They long for something just out of reach…
They’re cold. They feel like they lost something…

Did they lose you?

your touch?

I don’t know.
They don’t know either.

They feel lighter today,
like a slight weight is missing

But with time, my hands will feel full again.
They might miss your touch,

but, there will be others.

My hands are strong, but they are delicate too.

They can do things–

See?

I make things.
I write things.
I feel things–all with my hands…

and with them, I will make something new.

Thank you for reading!

Stay tuned for the next EIF Poetry Challenge, which will be announced next week.