Didier Coste, Vita Australis

Abstract

Didier Coste, Vita Australis. Wild & Woolley, 1977. PP. 87. $2.95

This attractively printed little book contains nine poems, only one of them lengthy, in the English translation first, followed by a separate section containing the original French. What a pity, since Coste is quite careful to point out the primacy of the French, that the poems are not printed as parallel texts. Most of the translation is very close in spirit, phrase and imagery to the original, but there are quite significant exceptions. How much more useful and satisfying to have the versions side by side, to compare subtleties and indeed format problems as well. Another criticism is that there are annoying faults in the proof-reading that confuse
one, and spoil the effect of overall high quality - there are spelling errors, for instance, and capitals appear from apparently nowhere.