Three Scottish (Kathrine Sowerby, William Letford, MacGillivray) and one Welsh poet (Llyr Gwyn Lewis) travelled to Riga in late 2017 to work on translations with Latvian poets Inga Pizāne, Aivars Eduards, Katrīna Rudzīte, and Henriks Eliass Zēgners. The latter then travelled back to Scotland in 2018 to perform with the UK-based poets. Some of the results of these intensive workshops are published in this series. The events were organised by Ryan van Winkle and Inga Vareva, and generously supported by the Scottish Poetry Library, British Council and Latvian Literature.

Kintija Puzāne provided bridge-translations to the Scottish and Latvian poets.

INGA PIZĀNE (born 1986 in Krāslava) is a Latvian poet. Pizāne has studied pedagogy in Latvia and Sweden, simultaneously attending lectures with Jānis Rokpelnis and Ronalds Briedis at the Literary Academy. Pizāne’s début was her 2012 publication in the Satori website and summer periodical. Later her works appeared in other outlets, including the anthology of Latvian poetry „Viens dzejolis. 2013” (“One Poem. 2013”), as well as the poetry and photo book „Latgales sirdspuksti” (“Latgale’s Heartbeats”). She has also written lyrics for songs by Framest, Lady’s Sweet and other musicians and bands. Pizāne has performed at the Poetry Days events, and the “The Blood of a Poet” festival. Her first collection of poems titled „Tu neesi sniegs” (“You are no Snow”) was published in 2016 by “Jānis Roze” publishing house. Poet Jānis Rokpelnis has characterised Inga Pizāne’s poetry as psychologically delicate, saturated with paradoxes, and professionally crafted. Pizāne’s works have been translated into English and Russian. Currently she is working on her second book of poems.

‘Mēs nometam klausuli’ / ‘when we hang up’ is translated by William Letford.

‘Es eju pa ielu piektdienas vakarā’ / ‘it’s Friday night’ is translated by Kathrine Sowerby.

Click here for a PDF version of the dual-language poems: Poems_from_Translation_Workshop_Riga_2017 (1)