Translated works always encourage pondering about power dynamics, touching upon issues of ownership, authorship, language proficiency, race, gender, and dispelling the false dichotomies of “original” versus “copy.” Raised by Wolves: Poems and Conversations, recipient of the PEN Award for Poetry in Translation, directly addresses these themes. The book, a blend of poems by Taiwanese poet and filmmaker Amang and dialogues between Amang and her American translator Steve Bradbury, celebrates translation as an ongoing conversation that stimulates inquiry rather than providing definitive answers.
By presenting translation as dialectical, Raised by Wolves brings to the forefront the power struggles that are often concealed in traditional translations. Amang and Bradbury intentionally surface these tensions, inviting readers to engage with the discomfort it generates. In a playful yet confrontational author-translator relationship, Amang humorously asserts her dominance over Bradbury, teasing him about being her “slave” and threatening to silence any talks of rewriting her work. This dynamic exchange challenges the traditional dynamics of translation.
The book further explores these power struggles by allowing the translations to exist in multiple versions. For example, the poems “Her Fingers Kept Tensing” and “My Fingers Tense and Relax, Tense and Relax” delve into themes of illness, caregiving, and loss of control. Through a dialogue between Amang and Bradbury, the variations in translations unfold, with each version enriching the reading experience. This iterative process of translation reflects a continuous dialogue where interpretations intertwine, much like the themes within the poems themselves.
Despite the nuanced layers in the translations, Amang and Bradbury occasionally find themselves gravitating towards a singular interpretation rather than embracing multiplicity. While they acknowledge the complexities involved in translation, they often judge the versions against each other, seeking qualitative comparisons. This inclination towards evaluating translations against each other somewhat contradicts the book’s emphasis on embracing diverse interpretations.
Amang and Bradbury’s reflections on translation, despite their inconsistencies, offer valuable insights into the intricate dynamics of power, authorship, and originality. Raised by Wolves not only challenges readers to grapple with these complex questions but also exemplifies reading and translation as multidimensional processes. The collaborative effort between Amang and Bradbury highlights the ongoing nature of translation, emphasizing that there is no definitive version but rather an everlasting conversation that extends beyond the confines of the book.
