the hammer [1] by Adelaide Ivánova

This is one of two poems titled 'the hammer' in Adelaide Ivánova's World Poets Series collection the hammer and other poems. This poem shows the great breadth of Adelaide's references, from the mating rituals of hammerhead sharks to reports that when a Pope die a senior member of the Vatican staff strikes him on the forehead with a silver hammer to make sure he isn't just sleeping.

Also, in this recording, you can hear the contrast between how Adelaide Ivánova reads the original text, with a quick, unhalting delivery and Rachel Long's slower, more deliberate reading of her translation.

You can buy a copy of the hammer and other poems from the PTC website.

This is part of our new rebranded weekly release: the Dual Poetry Podcast, one poem in two languages from the Poetry Translation Centre. As ever we will be releasing a translated poem each week.

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