Fairy Tales by Robert Walser and translated by James Reidel, Daniele Pantano

This is poetry from Switzerland.

Fairy Tales by Robert Walser translated by James Reidel, Daniele Pantano is published by New Directions. This is a Book originally written in German. This was published in 2015.0 and has the ISBN of 9.78081122398E12.

Robert Walser’s Fairy Tales, translated from German by James Reidel, Daniele Pantano, feels like a book organized around fairy tale logic, miniature narrative, and unsettling charm. That does not mean the poems should be treated as illustrations of a theme. Better to approach them as moments of speech, records of whatever made language necessary. For a reader new to this poet, I would suggest beginning with the first image that creates a physical reaction: surprise, discomfort, tenderness, recognition, even refusal. The translation brings poetry from poetry connected to Switzerland into English while preserving the sense that some meanings should remain a little restless. Fairy Tales belongs on the shelf because it trusts poetry to do more than explain. It lets language alter the room around the reader.

If you’d like to see international poetry continue and gain traction, consider requesting this work from your local library, or purchasing it from places like Open Books (a poetry only bookstore), Asterism Books (an independent press distributor), or bookshop.org to connect you with your local bookstores.

Check out more of the always in-progress translated poetry index here.