Office Hours Poetry Workshop presents: “If You Love a Poem Translate It!”— a FREE translation craft class and reading with author Paco Márquez.

“If you love a poem and want to get closer to it, translate it. Curious about translation but don’t know where to begin? In this workshop we will practice some basic approaches to translation – versions, translations, extrapolations. When to capture the essence more than the literal? When and how to let loose? With exercises, dictionaries in hand, and translation theories, we will also discuss the art of translation and its relationship to our own work. No prior translation experience or knowledge of another language necessary. (Bring a poem or stanza that you would like to try translating into English, either from another language you know or with a bilingual dictionary of that other language.)”

The craft class takes place from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

A public reading will follow from 1:30 PM-2:30 PM.

Spaces for the craft class are limited to 17 persons so please RSVP in advance to sarahmariesala@gmail.com and include your full name, relationship to writing, and a brief bio.

Office Hours Poetry Workshop provides post-MFA poets access to continued support for manuscript-development and everyday writing. The workshop culminates in a public reading each fall and spring to showcase sizzling new work. We welcome all poets, especially people of color, LGBTQ+, and those who are woman-identified. Our name derives from our side hustle. Many of us are freelance, adjunct instructors, who continue to thrive in the margins of academia.

Paco Márquez is a poet based out of Manhattan, author of the chapbook Portraits in G Minor (Folded Word Press, 2017). As Spanish Editor for William O’Daly, he assisted in translating Pablo Neruda’s initial book, Crepuscualrio, for the first time into English as, Book of Twilight, (Copper Canyon Press, 2017). He is currently working with Mexican poet Coral Bracho to translate her work into English. Paco’s work has been supported by The Center for Book Arts, the New York Foundation for the Arts, and New York University, where he acquired an MFA in creative writing and was poetry editor of Washington Square. Paco has poems forthcoming in Fence, and previously published in Apogee, Ostrich Review, Live Mag! and Huizache. Originally from León, México, he’s spent most of his life in Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area. pacomarquez.net