the translation of poetry & the poetry of translation

As my time at Penn winds down, I've been bombarded with invitations for end-of-the-year parties, meetings, and dinners. It seems everyone scrambles to get their groups together, one last time, as the final farewell looms.

Somehow, I have amassed a group of friends selfless enough to dedicate a slice of their precious time during these goodbye-heavy days to attend a poetry reading, where I read my translation of a piece by Russian poet Marina Tsvetaeva.

How did I get this lucky?

I honestly don't know what I did to deserve the friendship of these outstanding women and men, who are truly some of the most brilliant, selfless, and wise individuals I've had the honor to meet. Your unwavering support and kindness leave me speechless.

All my love,
Laur