Published on April 4, 2026
On Tuesday, May 12 at 6 PM CDT, a special Zoom event will feature U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze alongside Noh Anothai, Wendy Call, Kola Tubosun, and Daniel Simon. This engaging conversation will center on their recently launched works, with a particular emphasis on the increasing importance of literary translation. Registration is currently open for this free event.
The authors will discuss their three new books:
– Deep Vellum’s *Best Literary Translations 2026* (forthcoming April 14), guest-edited , with Anothai, Call, and Tubosun as co-editors.
– Restless Books’ *A Compass on the Navigable Sea: 100 Years of World Literature* (available now), edited commemorate World Literature Today’s centennial.
– Copper Canyon’s *Transient Worlds: On Translating Poetry* (forthcoming April 14), which Sze penned to champion the cause of poetry translation during his tenure as the twenty-fifth U.S. Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry.
In September 2025, the Library of Congress announced Sze’s appointment as the current Poet Laureate. “As laureate, I feel a great responsibility to promote the ways poetry, especially poetry in translation, can impact our daily lives,” Sze remarked. “We live in such a fast-paced world; poetry helps us slow down, deepen our attention, connect, and live more fully.”
The introduction to *Best Literary Translations 2026* highlights the urgency of translating a broader range of languages in response to the Trump administration’s 2025 decision to declare English the official language of the United States. The authors underscore that language conveys what borders strive to erase, emphasizing the resilience of multilingualism in a fragmented world.
An excerpt from *Transient Worlds* and an interview with Sze will be featured in the March 2026 issue of *WLT*. During the webinar, all three works will be available for discounted purchase . To register for the event, click [here](https://oklahoma.zoom.us/j/92467507984?pwd=e0bq6qVdrW1MUGJ1xL2JbStcMjnhEX.1).
Noh Anothai is known for translating works from classical Siamese poetry to modern Thai literature. A PhD recipient in comparative literature, he has taught creative writing for nearly a decade and has served as a judge for the prestigious Lucien Stryk Prize for Asian Literature in Translation.
Wendy Call is an award-winning nonfiction writer and translator of poetry. She is the author of *No Word for Welcome* and co-editor of the craft anthology *Telling True Stories: A Nonfiction Writers’ Guide*. Residing between Seattle and Oaxaca, she has translated five collections of poetry poets.
Daniel Simon, an accomplished editor and poet, is the assistant director and editor-in-chief of *World Literature Today*. He teaches multiple disciplines in higher education and has seen his poetry appear in three collections and various anthologies. His recent work, *A Compass on the Navigable Sea*, celebrates the journal’s 100-year legacy.
Arthur Sze, a revered poet and translator, has produced thirteen poetry collections, including *Into the Hush* and *The Silk Dragon II: Translations of Chinese Poetry*. A recipient of numerous prestigious awards, he is a firm advocate for the significance of translation and multilingual expressions through poetry.
Kola Tubosun, a Nigerian linguist and publisher, has engaged in significant literary translation efforts. He advocates for language accessibility and diversity, earning accolades including the Premio Ostana Special Prize. His documentary film on Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka has received international acclaim and is utilized in educational institutions around the globe.
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