Biography
Norton Hodges is a poet and translator. He was born in Gravesend, Kent UK in 1948. He studied French and German at the University of Swansea to degree level. He also has an M.A. and a PhD in Language and Literature in Education. He taught Modern Languages in secondary schools until 1997 when he retired through ill health. Since then he has worked as a book reviewer, adult literacy tutor and exam invigilator and has done volunteer work. Currently he is writing and translating. His poetry has been published by The Affectionate Punch, Apostrophe, Awen, The Black Rose, Borderlines, Cadenza, Connections (London), Connections (Whitstable), Crystal, Eclectica (online), Eclipse, em writing and music, Envoi, Exile, Fire, First Time, The Frogmore Papers, Global Tapestry Journal, The Green Door, The Interpreter's House, iota, Journal of Contemporary Anglo-Scandinavian Poetry, Juju, Krax, Lateral Moves, Lexikon, Linkway magazine, Magma, Micropress Midlands Poetry, The New Cauldron, New Horizon, New London Writers, The New Writer, nthposition (online), Poetry Nottingham International, Poetic Licence, Psychopoetica, Pulsar, Purple Patch, Roundyhouse, the Rue Bella, Sand, Sepia, Spokes (online), Staple, still, Superfluity, Terrible Work, The French Literary Review, The Lake, The OfiPress Literary Magazine (Mexico City), The Third Half, This is, Time Haiku, T.O.P.S., Trans-ports Poétiques (University of Manouba, Tunisia), Understanding, Upstart!, Voice and Verse, Voyage, Words Worth and Working Title. Norton Hodges has published academic articles on literacy as well as essays and short stories. He has completed the advanced Open College of the Arts course in poetry. He has had nearly 200 poems published in UK poetry magazines both in hard copy and online form. His work has been digitised by the Poetry Library London on www.poetrymagazines.org.uk. His first reading was at the Pork Pie Library, Leicester in 2004. He won the 1998 Milton Keynes Speakeasy Creative Writing competition and the Grand Prix International de Poésie of the Institut Culturel de Solenzara in 2005. His work can be found online at nortonpoet.tumblr.com on the Wild Honey Press website and the Snapshots Project (www.drunkenboat.com) and on http://jalelelgharbipoesie.blogspot.co.uk. His work as poet and translator is featured on the website of the European Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters (EASAL). Norton Hodges is the translator of the poets Athanase Vantchev de Thracy (www.athanase.org) and Théo Crassas (www.theocrassas.gr). His translation of the poem 'Sainte Anne' by the French poet Athanase Vantchev de Thracy was distributed to pilgrims at the basilica of Sainte-Anne-d'Auray in Brittany as well as in other Breton churches. His translation of the poem ‘Naïm Frashëri’ by Athanase Vantchev de Thracy will be published, along with original, in newspapers in Macedonia, Kososvo and Albania as well as being read by Vantchev de Thracy at the 17th DITËT E NAIMIT International Albanian Literary Festival in October 2013 where he is to receive the Naïm Frashëri Prize. His poem 'On Learning to Dance' was read at the 800th anniversary of the birth of the poet Rumi in Tajikistan in September 2007. He was recently invited to join the European Academy of Arts, Sciences and Letters and is a member of Poetas del Mundo. He has a poetry blog at nortonpoet.tumblr.com. The e-book 'The Han Shan Poems' is available free on www.smashbook.com. He is a member of the Comité International James Ossco An. His own work has been translated into French, Portuguese, Russian, Urdu, Albanian and Bulgarian. His books are held by the Académie française, the Swedish Academy, the Bibliothèque Nationale, France, the Bibliothèque Nationale, Quebec, the National Library of Bulgaria and the University of Veliko Tarnovo. His work has been submitted for review to Le Figaro, Le Monde, Croix, and Libération in France. He currently lives in Lincoln, UK with Jude. Professional Organisations Member of the Poetas del Mundo Poetry ‘Letting The Light In’ Rutland Weekend Press (pamphlet) ‘From Here To Here’ Editions Culturel de Solenzara, Rueil Malmaison 2008 ‘Late Love Songs’ Editions Culturel de Solenzara, Paris 2010 ‘Evening Rain’ Editions Culturel de Solenzara, Paris 2013 ‘Bare Bones’ Editions Culturel de Solenzara, Paris 2013 ‘Now That I Am Old’ forthcoming 2013/14 Anthologies ‘The Art of Haiku’ (2000) ‘In The Spirit Of Wilfred Owen’ (2002) ‘Le livre d’or de la paix’ (Paris 2008) 'Unsaid Words' (Trigger Editions, Bristol 2010) ed: Sarah J Trigg ‘Enchantons la vie’ (AESAL, Paris 2010) contributor and translator ‘Poets for World Peace’ Vol 3, (Küsnacht, Switzerland 2011) contributor and translator ‘A Handful of Poets’ forthcoming (Belgium) Translations L’Ange sans lumière’ Athanase Vantchev de Thracy (France) 2005 ‘Et la mer devenait chant’ Athanase Vantchev de Thracy (France) 2007 ‘Lumière dans la lumière’ Athanase Vantchev de Thracy (France) 2008 ‘Listening To The Stars’ Aguinaldo de Bastos (France) (2011) ‘The Black Castaway’ Aguinaldo de Bastos (France) (2011) ‘Magnificences’ Athanase Vantchev de Thracy (France) (2012) ‘Suaves voluptés de la vie’ Athanase Vantchev de Thracy (L’Age d’Homme, Lausanne 2013) Forthcoming bilingual collection Athanase Vantchev de Thracy (France) 2013 Work In Progress Translation of booklet of ten poems by Ayhanase Vantchev de Thracy for the 18th DITËT E NAIMIT International Albanian Literary Festival in October 2014. Sixth collection ‘Race To the Beginning’ (provisional title) Other Member of the jury for the Isle of Chiloé (Chile) poetry competition. October 2013
Samples
The Country Of Old Men I am waiting for my season ticket to The Country of Old Men, paying in advance Attracts a generous discount and a complimentary Prostate examination; I hear they’re different There; it seems beards are optional But a prim masculinity is de rigueur While the testosterone streams silt up; I’ve read their dress codes and style guides, How to be shadows of your former selves, greyer, Less substantial, hoary round the edges; No more ogling young girls, time for Decorum. decency and fetching cardigans; We’re not all Picasso after all, not bulls, Not picadors; our libido now will be telephoned in. And will you come with me to that foreign Place? I often wonder why you’d want To go there when the world is your shellfish; Will you be disappointed in me and berate me in The supermarket: ‘You stupid old man!’ Still I’d be glad of the company. I hear it can be lonely And those few travellers who return still fear Ghostly bingo callers and midnight sing-alongs.
All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.
Blog entries by Norton Hodges
Costa Coffee (13/10/2013)
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Ann Foxglove
Sun 13th Oct 2013 09:58
Hi Norton - a very warm welcome to WOL. Hope you are enjoying being on the site. Maybe put a poem on the blogs section - more folk tend to see them there than on the profiles.