At times poetry serves as the abstract act of translating images from the natural world. When someone is faced with the task of translating poetry from into a different language they are forced to consider not only the text, but the visual experience that inspired it. Sometimes the image the verse derived from is far removed from the text, and is pointed to only by clues or outside knowledge. It is easy to say let the text stand on its own— but how can a translator choose the words to depict an image it has never seen?
I now ask you to look at an image and pick a verse to coincide with it. Maybe none of the verses seem to fit, or maybe you can think of a more powerful one. But to emulate the boundaries that come with translating you must force yourself to see through someone else's eyes.
