Abstract
Since poets were largely responsible for the translation and publication of foreign poetry in Brazil during the second half of the 20th Century as well as in the first decade of the ongoing century, this article speculates the reasons behind the fact that many Brazilian poets devote their time to translate rather than working exclusively on their “original” creations. Why do they behave this way, if it is well known that at least since Romanticism authorship is considered superior or more worthy of appreciation than the works of translation? The conclusion is that poets translate generally with at least two non-excluding intentions in mind: a) demarcating their affiliations or affinities with a particular poetic family; b) undertake an exercise of criticism and creation with the aim to immerse in the language´s experience of the foreign poet; c) c) influence the canons, pointing directions to local poetry. The article also addresses some consequences of poets’ translation choices for the local literary system.
Keywords
Poets-Translators; Canons; Translation and Creation; Translated poetry in Brazil