Editor’s Note
The act of multilingualism is inherently a liminal one, an act that enables the inhabitance of and the creation of intersectional spaces. Sherry Simon calls such incorporating of texts and intertexts from other languages a ‘poetics of translation.’ The invention of language is the foundation of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, of Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire; more broadly, it is the foundation of all worlds, and stories are made to provide a world for language rather than the reverse.
How does language connect us to our worlds? If fluency is a mechanism to perfect articulation, then multilingualism is a means of capturing essence, the different moving parts that have no perfect translation. It bridges the gaps in our subjective experiences by connecting parts of our individual worlds. Writing is a deeply personal act, and yet we often have to sacrifice some extent of self-expression in order to be intelligible. Language is a means of reclaiming this agency, of ceding the intelligible in order to stay true to the writer.
In Issue 6, explore multilingualism as a means of expressing longing and nostalgia through Angela Arnold’s “Cydlifiad Vyrnwy Confluence”, or a means of obscuring our idea of home through Devika Bahadur’s “what we lose between the lines / जो खो गया पंक्तियों के बीच”. Savor the possibilities of language with Ronita Chattopadhyay’s “Music in Many Tongues”, and consider its weight in Miriam H. Monarres’s “Cena Ljubezni”. Phil Powrie’s “Contraband” brings us into a foreign space where the ways in which language intersects creates new and personal meanings, and Tyler Thier’s “The Mouse” reflects how the ability to be understood is integral to the ability to exist as a human being. Rick K. Reut’s poems, “FROM THE DARK В УГЛУ” and “THAT УЛИЦА ВЕДЕТ В ПАРК”, articulate the loneliness of inhabiting such a space, and the burden of responsibility that lies in providing a world in which language may exist.
Pollux represents a continuous effort to engage with this poetics of translation. We thank you for your continued love and support, and it is my pleasure to present you with Issue 6.
Best wishes,
Megan Xing / Editor in Chief