In our discussion, Elizabeth and I saw a stark difference not between the story told in Requiem but rather how it was told. Anderson’s translation took a very personal and empathetic approach as it told the story from what read as an internally controlled environment. In more poetic terms with more vivid imagery, you read the poem from the perspective of the mother and empathize with her humanity. Anderson’s poem reads more like a novel – descriptive and story-oriented- whereas Thomas’s translation is more historical and analytical. To elaborate, while Thomas tells the same story as Anderson, it reads more as though it is from an outside perspective describing events. One reads the events but is not as drawn to empathize with them. For these reasons we favored the Anderson translation.
! – In order to avoid censorship by Russian authority, many poets published their works abroad.
? – What is the benefit of publishing abroad if your intended audience cannot see your work?