Five Tips on Translating Poetry

1. Stay Close to the Poem. Read the poem again and again until the words become second nature on your tongue. By doing this,

you will be able to feel the rhythm of the poem. You will recognize the pace, the pauses, the beats, the swirls of energy. Write the

poem in longhand and make ten copies. Stick these where you can see and read them. Try the bathroom, the kitchen cabinet, or the

freezer door, leading to the Ben & Jerry's. These copies will familiarize you with the poem's grammatical structure: Where the

adjectives are, where there is a break in tenses. Plus, if you put them on that package of Oreo's, it'll take you longer to gobble the

bag down. You will have to read the poem first!

2. Know the poet. If you are lucky enough to pick a living poet to translate, write to him or her. Get to know the person; ask him

or her questions about the poem. What was the poet thinking when writing the poem? What does the poet think the poem means? Is

there any imagery or language that is repeated? Is there anything symbolic from his or her life? What does the poet think of poetry?

The more you know about the poet and his or her life, the better able you are to understand the nuances of the poem. Be courteous

and grateful. The poet is answering your questions to help you with your translation.

If, however, you choose a poet who has passed on, your job is a little harder. Try and find out as much as you can about the poet's

life. Most countries have national writer's associations. If they don't, check the web and university libraries and language

departments. Maybe from there you can find other people who knew the poet or can help guide you. Build as many contacts as you

can. Be familiar with the poet and you will get a sense for the poem.

3. Go for Grace. When you translate a poem, your job is to stay as close to the meaning as possible. That said, you also have

artistic license to use (not abuse) the meaning to make a clear and graceful translation. Translating slag is an excellent example of

when to use artistic license. Some slang has absolutely no meaning in another language. In fact, a direct translation would make the

poem fail. In that case, turn the meaning of the slang into its equivalent. Remember, you want readers in your language to enjoy the

poem, not marvel at how well you can directly translate words.

4. Be Wary. This tip is for those of you who think translating takes a few minutes tops. There are some great computer programs

that are designed for translation. There are also some excellent dictionaries and phrase books. But do not rely on them to give you

the end-all-be-all translation. You must do the footwork. You can use these computer programs and dictionary translations as a

guide. They may help get to the bones of the poem, but your job is to put heart and live language on those bones.

5. Take a Deep Breath. When you finish a translation, sit tight for a few days, maybe even a week, before you go over it. Take

some time to think about something else, in your own language. Then come back and see where the gaps and the goodies are.

Translating a poem is a lot like writing a poem yourself. You have to know what you want to say. You have to feel what you want to

say. You have to be focused. There are a thousand other jobs that are easier, better paid, and eyesight-saving, but translating has

its own glories. Putting poems into another language is one of the best ways to share culture, honor poets, and remind us that we

can transcend geography. Do your best.

PERFECT ( TAGALOG VERSION) Ang matagal ko nang hindi nasabi
ARRANGE BY: ROLAND BEDIOT Na sa’yo ay may pagtingin

Nakita ko na, sa aking tabi Oh woooh wooh

Sanay nakita mo rin, ang pag-ibig
Isang dalagang maganda at malambing
Di inakalang ikaw pala ay magiging akin
Akala ko noon ay kaibigan lang
Ako ay umiiwas
Di ko alam ikaw pala ay naghihintay
Na sabihin ko, ang laman ng puso
Bago pa tayo ay tuluyang maghiwalay
Ika’y isasayaw ngayong hating-gabi
Ang bawat paggalaw ng aking labi
Sana ay yong bigyang pansin
Mahal ko iyong dinggin, ang matagal
Ko nang hindi nasabi, na ikaw sa akin
Ay anghel sa langit
perpekto sa’king paningin

Ika’y isasayaw ngayong hating-gabi

Ang bawat paggalaw ng aking labi
Sana ay yong bigyang pansin
Mahal ko iyong dinggin
Ang matagal ko nang hindi nasabi
Na sa’yo ay may pagtingin

Di na kailangang, sa akin ay
magpapansin
Nakita ko na sayo ang bukas para sakin
Sa habang buhay, mahalin at makapiling
Sa ningning ng yong
bituin ay aking hiling

Sana’y higit sa kaibigan lang

H’wag sanang umiwas
Ngayon na alam mo na ang
nararamdaman
Handa akong maghintay kahit pa
mangalay
Kahit abutan ng bukang liwayway

Ika’y isasayaw ngayong hating-gabi

Ang bawat paggalaw ng aking labi
Sana ay yong bigyang pansin
Mahal ko iyong dinggin