There are no fixed working hours for a poet. So I have writ- ten poems (and tran- slations of poems) at all hours of the day or night. I translate mainly French, Ger- man and Japanese poetry. I have origi- nated the art of tran- slating poetry into English in the forms of haiku and tanka, Continued...
James Kirkup, 90 years old on April 23, 2008, in his library. Photograph by Makoto Tamaki.
James Kirkup was born in his Grandmother Johnson’s house in Robertson Street, South Shields, Tyne and Wear, on April 23rd 1918. As a child he attended Baring Street Infants’, Westoe Elementary and the Boys’ Grammar School in the town. He then went on to Kings College, Newcastle, graduating with double honours in modern languages. Continued...
New poems