Spring 2013 - The Independent Schools' Modern Language ...

The Times Stephen Spender PrizeOnce again the Times Stephen Spender Prize for poetry translation is invitingentries. Entrants are asked to translate a poem from any language, classicalor modern, into English. In addition to an adult category, there are two categoriesfor young people: 18-and-under and 14-and-under (which would includeyoung Year 10s whose birthday falls after the 24 May closing date).There are cash prizes in each category, with the winning entries being publishedin a booklet and on the Stephen Spender Trust’s website.Last year Stephen Walsh, an English teacher at Christ’s Hospital, used thecompetition as a springboard for a school-wide translation initiative. Pupilswith relatives who spoke a language other than English were encouraged tofind a poem in that language and work with family members to produce aliteral version to bring back to school for further development and entry intothe 2012 competition. Students following the IB diploma course translated apoem in preparation for their World Literature module, and senior classicistsand linguists were also encouraged to have a go.At Dulwich College, Nick Mair organised an internal competition. The winnerwent on to scoop joint second prize in the 14-and-under category with hisjoyful rendering of Quevedo’s ‘To a Nose’, described by George Szirtes as a27