Her awardwinning alphabet is based structurally on fibonaccis sequence a mathematical sequence in which each number is the sum of the two previous numbers, in combination with the alphabet. Is it the dreamed summer hour of my childhood shattered as. Christensen is considered to be one the greatest danish poetic experimentalists of her era. I up they soar, the planets butterflies, pigments from the warm body of the earth, cinnabar, ochre, phosphor yellow, gold a swarm of basic elements aloft. The choice of constraint by rebecca hazelton poetry. A startling and gorgeous work by denmarks most admired poet finally available in english translation. Today we are twothirds done with april, and entering the home stretch of napowrimoglopowrimo. Leonard hadnt seen his only child since the night ten years ago when he pulled her out of a flaming car. Poems for the millennium poems for the millennium i. Instead it deepened and took on eerie new overtones as the book progressed. But, of course, the inger christensen alphabet engine in this book is that christensen uses fibonaccis sequence to increase the number of lines in each of the poems. Rebecca hazelton is the author of fair copy 2012, winner of the ohio state university pressthe journal award in poetry, and vow 20, from cleveland state university poetry center. In the spring of 2011, i happened upon inger christensens alphabet, a slim new directions paperback, and came.
Although susanna nieds translation from the danish of inger christensens alphabet won the asfpen translation prize for poetry in 1982, its taken nearly twenty years for it to be published on these shores. The editors, and guest readers rachel blau duplessis and bob perelman, performed. Originally published in 1969 it and 1981 the alphabet in christensens native danish, in the past decade both of these seminal works of scandinavian poetry have been translated into english. Inger christensen s alphabet new directions, 2001 is a book that made me hesitate at first, then won me over. Here the transitions between the poet and the essayist christensen are fluid. Its inventive structure, based on the fibonacci sequence the number of lines in each section follow the pattern 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, etc. Inger christensen poems poems of inger christensen poem. Inger christensen s masterpiece it, translated brilliantly by susanna nied, and with an illuminating introduction by anne carson. On its publication in 1969, it took denmark by storm, winning critical praise and.
May 01, 2001 finally available in english translation, alphabet is a startling and gorgeous work by denmarks most admired poet, inger christensen. Phenomenal woman, still i rise, the road not taken, if you forget me, dreams. Alphabet by inger christensen in doc, fb2, txt download ebook. Inger christensen was born in vejle, denmark, in 1935. Reading at the kelly writers house, university of pennsylvania, september 28, 1998 pierre joris and jerome rothenberg read selections from poems for the millennium, a twovolume anthology published by the university of california press, which they coedited. Could it be that the reason were still having wars is that were afraid to tell each. Posts about inger christensen written by michael9murray. It is inspired by the poem alphabet 1981 by inger christensen, a native of the north jutland, denmark. The poem was originally published in 1981 in danish as alfabet.
Her works include poetry, fiction, drama, and essays. Inger christensens alphabet is built up under two formal constraints. Inger christensen s alphabet is built up under two formal constraints. Is this flickering of wings only a shoal of light particles, a quirk of perception. Christensen was denmarks foremost poet during her lifetime 19352009. The daughter of a tailor living on denmarks jutland coast, she graduated from vejle gymnasium in 1954 and studied at teachers college in.
In inger christensens 1981 book of poetry, alphabet, we are left as readers to consider this loss. Inger christensen biography, poems, alphabet, it, butterfly. The choice of constraint by rebecca hazelton poetry foundation. The wellknown danish poet was said to have written an encyclopedia of natural history and its destroyers by eliot weinberger. An english language translation by susanna nied won the americanscandinavian pen translation prize in 1982. The gorgeous poetry herein reflects a complex philosophical background, yet has a. Not a day goes by without something from alphabet coming into my mind. Susanna nied on translating alphabet by inger christensen. May 14, 2019 after her trek through beauty and destruction, christensen seems to take refuge in the natural world, and find sense in nature amidst all the senselessness of human killing and hate. Inger christensen 1935 2009, whose work is a cornerstone of modern scandinavian poetry, was the recipient of many international awards, among them the nordic authors prize, bestowed by the swedish academy and known as the little nobel. Although she has also written a novel, stories, essays, radio plays, a drama and an opera libretto, christensen is primarily known for her linguistically skilled and. Apr 12, 2020 inger christensen was both a virtuoso and a paradox. Alphabet by inger christensen pdf free download ebook. Nov, 2015 alphabet by inger christensen in doc, fb2, txt download ebook.
Jan 02, 2009 inger christensen, danish poet whose linguistically sophisticated work explores the interconnections of language, fiction, and reality. Alphabet builds on her earlier analogies between language and physical reality by applying alphabetic and numeric structures, such as the fibonacci numbers, as principles of creative order. Contemporary poets have used the alphabet constraint on a grand scale, creating long poems, such as carolyn forches on earth, and even throughout entire books, such as inger christensens alphabet and harryette mullens sleeping with the dictionary. Wright recommends alphabet, poems by inger christensen. In a long poem, darcy revisits inger christensens 1981 alphabet, a work which expresses the heartsickening persistence and proliferation of beauty after hiroshima. Nov 29, 2014 7 posts published by kshshu during november 2014. On the back of my copy of alphabetsusanna nieds english translation, published in 2001is a quote from the german critic michael braun. Born in 1935, inger christensen is denmarks best known poet. Inger christensen is no apologist for blind, rapturous singing, but probably the most formconscious and reflective writer of poetry in europe today. Christensen was an experimentalist, but that doesnt mean her poems. The daughter of a tailor living on denmarks jutland coast, she graduated from vejle gymnasium in 1954 and studied at teachers college in arhus.
This land art project for landshape is located on the grounds of the gasmuseet, hobro. This poem alphabet reflects on themes related to the natural environment in the shadow and threat of manmade threats. A book to break up the psychic mumbo jumbo within, and to help you fight the actual threats from without. Of course this is partly because inger christensens poetry is phenomenal but also because alphabets themes, its focus. Translated by susanne nied, the reader, and audience is opened to the words of alphabet, in the english. His wife had been dead for a week and hed been tired for years, but as leonard pulled leslie from the fire, he felt. Part two of iris cushings interview of inger christensens translator. Alphabet an excerpt poem by inger christensen poem hunter. In darcys alphabet, the spiralling form takes over, insisting on hope. Inger christensen was born alphbaet vejle, denmark, in want to read currently reading read. Although susanna nieds translation from the danish of inger christensen s alphabet won the asfpen translation prize for poetry in 1982, its taken.
Here are the first five sections of the danish poet inger christensens book alphabet, translated by susanna nied. Inger christensens masterpiece it, translated brilliantly by susanna nied, and with an illuminating introduction by anne carson it is the masterwork by danish poet inger christensen a true singer of the syllables, said c. What has it been like to live with alphabet for over 30 years. The poem starts as a celebration of the natural world but the threats to it soon become apparent and whilst apricot trees exist so do atom bombs exist. Inger christensen alphabet lives and teaches in cincinnati. Wright, often cited as a nobel contender and one of europes most revered poets. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. Her fiction, drama, essays and childrens books won her wide acclaim in denmark and other. Excerpts from alphabet have become the main source of large displays of public. She initially studied medicine but then trained to be a teacher, and from 1963 to 1964 she worked at the college for arts in holb. She was danish, and it is a misfortune for any great writer to be confined to a. Praise god or whichever earthly or extraterrestrial powers you believe in.
The febrile christenssen of natural history that alights on each letter of the first half of the alphabet until ninfinity is so clearly a spiral. But beyond technical innovation, what christensen offered her readers is a humanistic body of work meant to look directly into our place in the world. Initially she studied medicine, but then trained as a teacher and worked at the college of art in holb. The excerpt from the poem,og grenenes eneste tegning, and the lone drawing made by the branches is fashioned. After christensen was awarded a handful of major literary prizes in the late 1990s, including the swedish academy nordic. I couldnt fathom why i hadnt heard of the poem before. Say the word silk, and it vanishes with the sound, but your senses, your. Alphabet is one of the most wellknown poems of inger christensen, who was broadly considered to be denmarks most prominent poet. Inger christensen showed tremendous courage by looking at the world, including us humans, as clearly as she did.
The excerpt from the poem,og grenenes eneste tegning, and the lone. Inger christensen 16 january 1935 2 january 2009 was a danish poet, novelist, essayist and editor. The alphabet and it, inger christensen new directions, 2000 and 2005. Inger christensens poetry is most often described as experimental, and it most certainly is. Silk, the universe, language, the heart by inger poetry magazine. Poem hunter all poems of by inger christensen poems. Inger christensen, who has died aged 73, was one of the most significant european poets of the 20th century. Inger christensen poems poems of inger christensen.
Susanna nied on translating alphabet by inger christensen part. In alphabet, christensen creates a framework of psalmlike forms. She is considered the foremost danish poetic experimentalist of her generation. Buy alphabet by inger christensen, susanna nied translator isbn. Inger christensen, danish poet whose linguistically sophisticated work explores the interconnections of language, fiction, and reality. Susanna nieds remarkably beautiful translation was awarded the americanscandinavian pen translation prize by michael hamburger. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Finally available in english translation, alphabet is a startling and gorgeous work by denmarks most admired poet, inger christensen. Inger christensen was born in vejle denmark, and was one of europes leading contemporary experimentalists. Today, our featured participant is vijaya sundaram, whose didactic poem for day 19 will teach you how to clean your house our featured poet in translation is denmarks inger christensen. Inger christensen was both a virtuoso and a paradox.
Christensen used the alphabet from a apricots to n. Forgetting about the first two numbers, christensens first section has one line, the second two, the third three, the fourth five, the fifth eight, etc. She had a tremendous gift and tremendous skill, to be able to state so cleanly and tenderly what she saw. Feb 18, 2009 inger christensen, who has died aged 73, was one of the most significant european poets of the 20th century. Inger christensen was born in vejle, denmark in 1935. Her awardwinning alphabet is based structurally on fibonaccis sequence a mathematical sequence in which each number is the sum of the two. Inger christensen was a danish poet, novelist, essayist and editor. After that she opted for the life of a freelance writer. An english language translation by susanna nied won the americanscandinavian pen. In the spring of 2011, i happened upon inger christensens alphabet, a slim new directions paperback, and came under the spell of its exquisite structure almost immediately. Awarded the americanscandinavian pen translation prize by michael hamburger, susanna nieds translation of alphabet introduces inger christensens poetry to us readers for the first time. Feb 27, 20 in inger christensens 1981 book of poetry, alphabet, we are left as readers to consider this loss. Her alphabet is uplifting and heartbreaking at once. Note that the eighth section, in fact, does not literally begin with h in the english translation.
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