Paul Vincent first winner David Reid Poetry Translation Prize

The prize for the first year of the David Reid Poetry Translation Prize goes to Paul Vincent for his translation of Herinnering aan Holland (‘Memory of Holland’). The jury praised his translation for its naturalness and the unbroken flow of its rhythm: ‘He has found unforced solutions for the main difficulties, and a couple of these solutions were very pleasing. Crucially Paul Vincent’s version captures the mood of Marsman’s poem, the deep affection for his country that is its hallmark. If empathy with the material is a key to a good translation of a poem, this version is a winner.’

The prize is awarded twice yearly for an outstanding translation of a well-known Dutch poem, and commemorates translator David A.S. Reid (1929-1982). All the competing translations can be found on the Subtext Translations website.

Published: November 6, 2006 news | poetry