Fascinating piece. Loved the way you show this correspondence evolving and the fact they both wrote in German despite what they'd been thru! Great read.
Thank you, Paul! One of my favorite aspects of this correspondence is how it changes and deepens over time. In the poems Nelly Sachs sends, you can see some similarities with Celan--like many long dashes and phrases like "Oh hear me---"
This reminds me a bit of the exchange of letters in POSSESSION -- the way both poets start to sound alike -- though Celan and Sachs couldn't be more different from Byatt's imaginary 19th c Brits. Though I do LOVE that book...
That's so intriguing!! I will go back to POSSESSION. I will be seeing a lot of literature scholars today and will see if anyone has more thoughts on this!!
Reading all that you wrote was the perfect way to start my day. I’m still moved by your description of Celan and Sachs’ correspondence and by the letters and poems you shared. Thank you!
This is marvelous! Not just for the insight it provides into the lives of two very important poets, but for the way it demonstrates, if only by implication, that all poets write in a context rife with different kinds of struggle and companionship, and how important poetic friendships are to all of us.
Thank you so much, Richard. Poetic friendships are so deeply important, and I wish there were more writing about friendship! I also love the Robert Lowell-Elizabeth Bishop correspondence and I am planning to look into the letters of the great Russian poets.
Hi Aviya -- Finally reading this more thoroughly, prompted by today's post and in prep for Sunday. The link to the Notre Dame Review Sachs translations is a duplicate of The New Yorker link. Can you share the NDR link?? Thanks!
Fascinating piece. Loved the way you show this correspondence evolving and the fact they both wrote in German despite what they'd been thru! Great read.
Thank you, Paul! One of my favorite aspects of this correspondence is how it changes and deepens over time. In the poems Nelly Sachs sends, you can see some similarities with Celan--like many long dashes and phrases like "Oh hear me---"
This reminds me a bit of the exchange of letters in POSSESSION -- the way both poets start to sound alike -- though Celan and Sachs couldn't be more different from Byatt's imaginary 19th c Brits. Though I do LOVE that book...
That's so intriguing!! I will go back to POSSESSION. I will be seeing a lot of literature scholars today and will see if anyone has more thoughts on this!!
Aviya, I am *so* glad that you've started this Substack!
Thank you!! Still figuring out the tech side! I so appreciate your encouragement & support.
Reading all that you wrote was the perfect way to start my day. I’m still moved by your description of Celan and Sachs’ correspondence and by the letters and poems you shared. Thank you!
Thank you Natalia for this beautiful comment! Their correspondence always gets me in the mood to write.
An absolutely beautiful post. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this note!! I appreciate it.
Super interesting!
Thank you, Josette!
This is marvelous! Not just for the insight it provides into the lives of two very important poets, but for the way it demonstrates, if only by implication, that all poets write in a context rife with different kinds of struggle and companionship, and how important poetic friendships are to all of us.
Thank you so much, Richard. Poetic friendships are so deeply important, and I wish there were more writing about friendship! I also love the Robert Lowell-Elizabeth Bishop correspondence and I am planning to look into the letters of the great Russian poets.
That sounds like a really worthwhile project.
Hi Aviya -- Finally reading this more thoroughly, prompted by today's post and in prep for Sunday. The link to the Notre Dame Review Sachs translations is a duplicate of The New Yorker link. Can you share the NDR link?? Thanks!
Hi Rebekah--Wow, thanks for letting me know! This is the link I have:
https://ndreview.nd.edu/assets/188008/five_translations.pdf
Enjoy!! See you Sunday!
All my best, Aviya
And I have updated the post to include the correct link! Thanks again for noticing.
Thanks - that new link works. Looking forward to Sunday!