On September 16 and 17, Miami University’s Creative Writing Program hosted a two-day Translation Symposium. Martin Corless-Smith, an English poet and translator, was one of the Symposium guests, alongside two other creative writers and translators, Poupeh Missaghi and Roy Kesey. Corless-Smith’s most recent book, Odious Horizons: Some Versions of Horace, was published by Miami University Press earlier this year and is a translation of Horace, a Roman poet. 

Though Corless-Smith said he has been interested in Horace for several years, he did not intend to translate Horace’s poetry. His book was born from his morning routine one summer of reading Horace. In response to the poetry,  he made notes about the poem’s meaning and how he could write a contemporary version. And thus, the book was accidentally created.

 Corless-Smith said he enjoys Horace’s biting wit, his raw humanity, and his thoughts on friendship and modest living, as well as how he and his writing adapt and evolve with age.

“I’ve felt quite at home with Horace’s attitude,” he said. “The whole run from being a young man to being an older man. What I like about him is that he managed all of those periods. A lot of poets get stuck in a kind of way of being, and I don’t think he did. I think he developed and changed. But I think he was very human and honest and open about it.”

During the process of translation, he said he found a mode of expression that was neither himself nor Horace, but something born of that connection. Rather than trying to disappear and become the ancient poet, he said Odious Horizons is a response to Horace. 

Corless-Smith has published other books of his own poetry, but he said he is not as interested in pursuing publication as other writers tend to be. 

“I don’t really view that side of things as the culmination of my writing and experience,” he said. “For me the culmination is to have done the poem and to move on to the next one… I don’t think I’ve pushed myself about getting out there in the world, but I haven’t really wanted to.”

Corless-Smith is not focused on garnering an audience for his poetry; he said he is much more interested in the craft and art of poetry writing. 

“I feel that the vital part is that the world needs people that take something like poetry seriously enough to dedicate their lives to it,” he said. “And I don’t so much mind about my personal reputation. I think poetry needs to keep happening.”

While Corless-Smith’s focus has been on teaching creative writing and writing poems himself, he also is a painter. Corless-Smith said he sees a connection between his visual art and his poetry,  and he believes much of his painting and writing has been informed by an English tradition. However, he believes that his time living in America has granted him the ability to look at England from distance.  

“I have certain traits that might harken back to nineteenth century English painters, and I think that’s probably true of my poetry as well,” he said. “The sound and form of a lot of my work comes out of an English tradition.”

Corless-Smith said that there are many influences upon one’s writing, and it is difficult to determine what the major influences are. However, he encourages the next generation of creative writers and artists to follow what inspires them and pursue their own passions. 

“Your job is to find your own,” he said. “Be patient with yourself and with others, in terms of your writing and their writing. You do have to follow unequivocally your own interests and passions. If there are poets that you like that everyone tells you are no good, ignore everyone.” 

Erin Adelman