Dutch poet declines assignment to translate Gorman’s works

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A writer who was chosen to translate American poet Amanda Gorman’s work into Dutch has handed back the assignment following criticism that a white author was selected to translate the words of the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history. Marieke Lucas Rijneveld announced the decision on Twitter. Dutch publisher Meulenhoff planned to release a translation of the poem Gorman recited to acclaim at President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Rijneveld is a poet and novelist who last year became the youngest writer to win the International Booker Prize. She said Friday she was “shocked by the uproar around my involvement in the dissemination of Amanda Gorman’s message” but understood “people who feel hurt by the choice.”