James Stratton Holmes (2 May 1924 – 6 November 1986) was an American-Dutch
poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...
,
translator
Translation is the communication of the Meaning (linguistic), meaning of a #Source and target languages, source-language text by means of an Dynamic and formal equivalence, equivalent #Source and target languages, target-language text. The ...
, and translation scholar. He sometimes published his work using his
real name
A legal name is the name that identifies a person for legal, administrative and other official purposes. A person's legal birth name generally is the name of the person that was given for the purpose of registration of the birth and which then a ...
James S. Holmes, and other times the
pen name
A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name.
A pen na ...
s Jim Holmes and Jacob Lowland. In 1956 he was the first non-Dutch translator to receive the prestigious
Martinus Nijhoff
Martinus Nijhoff (20 April 1894, in The Hague – 26 January 1953, in The Hague) was a Dutch poet and essayist. He studied literature in Amsterdam and law in Utrecht. His debut was made in 1916 with his volume ''De wandelaar'' ("The wanderer"). F ...
Award, the most important recognition given to translators of creative texts from or into
Dutch.
Childhood and education
The youngest of four siblings, Holmes was born and raised in a small American farm in
Collins, Iowa. In 1941, after finishing high school, he enrolled in the Quaker College of
Oskaloosa,
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
. After a study journey of two years, he did a middle school teaching internship in
Barnesville, Ohio.
Some years later, after refusing to go on military service for the
American Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
or, alternatively, civil service, Holmes was sentenced to a 6-month jail term. Upon his release, he went back to studying: first at
William Penn College, and later at
Haverford College
Haverford College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Haverford, Pennsylvania. It was founded as a men's college in 1833 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), began accepting non-Quakers in 1849, and became coeducational ...
in
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
.
In 1948, after obtaining two degrees, one in English and one in History, he continued his studies at
Brown University
Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...
in
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay ...
, one of the well-known
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an American collegiate athletic conference comprising eight private research universities in the Northeastern United States. The term ''Ivy League'' is typically used beyond the sports context to refer to the eight schools ...
Schools, where the following year he became a research doctor. In the meantime he had written and published his first poems and had carried out some occasional editorial work. From there, in no time, poetry became his great passion.
1949: The Netherlands
In 1949 Holmes interrupted his studies to work as a
Fulbright
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...
exchange teacher in a Quaker school in the Eerde Castle, near
Ommen, in the
Netherlands
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. At the end of the school year he decided not to return to the United States, but to stay and visit the country. It was in this way that, in 1950, he met Hans van Marle. To Holmes, the relationship with Van Marle soon became something highly important that brought him to making the choice never to go back to the United States, and to move permanently to
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
. For the next two years, Holmes attended Nico Donkersloot's Dutch language course at the
Universiteit van Amsterdam
The University of Amsterdam (abbreviated as UvA, nl, Universiteit van Amsterdam) is a public research university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The UvA is one of two large, publicly funded research universities in the city, the other being ...
, and published in 1951 his first poetry translation.
1952: Passion becomes profession
Translating poetry became Holmes' main occupation, and, after his appointment as an associate professor in the Literary Science faculty at the
Universiteit van Amsterdam
The University of Amsterdam (abbreviated as UvA, nl, Universiteit van Amsterdam) is a public research university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The UvA is one of two large, publicly funded research universities in the city, the other being ...
, translation was his main source of income. Together with his partner Hans van Marle, he translated not only poetry, but also documents about
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
and Indonesian poetry in English. His reputation as a translator grew, and in 1956 he was granted the Martinus Nijhoff Award for his translations into English, becoming the first foreigner to receive it. In 1958, when the legendary English magazine ''Delta'' was founded, exclusively devoted to the culture of the Netherlands and
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, James Holmes became its poetry editor and often took care of the translations of contemporary Dutch poetry in English. It was a time in which Holmes particularly devoted himself to the poetry of the "Vijftigers"
n important group of Dutch poets of the 50s – 'vijftig' in Dutchand of the "post-Vijftigers", poetry of complex comprehension, and therefore, hard to translate.
Translation Studies
When the Literary Science faculty of the Universiteit van Amsterdam decided in 1964 to create a Department of Translation Studies, Holmes was invited to contribute as an associate professor. He not only had the needed scholarly background, but over time he had acquired many theoretical notions as well, as well as considerable practical experience as a translator. He created courses for the Institute of Interpreters and Translators, which was later integrated into the Institute of Translation Studies of the Universiteit van Amsterdam. Holmes' paper "The Name and Nature of Translation Studies" (1972) is widely recognized as founding
Translation Studies as a coordinated research program. Holmes' many articles on translation made him one of the key members of
Descriptive Translation Studies, and still today he is frequently cited in the bibliographies in this field.
Appreciation for "Awater" by Nijhoff and the Nobel Prize
One of the most extraordinary examples of Holmes' bravery was his translation of the very long poetic piece "" by
Martinus Nijhoff
Martinus Nijhoff (20 April 1894, in The Hague – 26 January 1953, in The Hague) was a Dutch poet and essayist. He studied literature in Amsterdam and law in Utrecht. His debut was made in 1916 with his volume ''De wandelaar'' ("The wanderer"). F ...
, a work that gained attention both in the Netherlands and abroad. The English translation of this piece contributed to the fame of both the poet and the translator. After having read "Awater," Nobel laureates in Literature
T.S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National B ...
and
Iosif Aleksandrovič Brodskij expressed their appreciation. Eliot said that if Nijhoff had written his works in English instead of Dutch, he would have become a global success, while Brodskij bluntly stated that "Awater" was one of the most beautiful poetry works he had ever read.
Columbia University establishes the James S. Holmes Award
Holmes went on to translate dozens of works from Dutch and Belgian poets, and in 1984 he received the Flemish Community Translation Award (Vertaalprijs van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap), once more the first foreigner to receive it.
His masterpiece was, undoubtedly, the translation of the impressive collection Dutch Interior, a considerable anthology of post-war poetry, published in 1984 in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
by the
Columbia University Press
Columbia University Press is a university press based in New York City, and affiliated with Columbia University. It is currently directed by Jennifer Crewe (2014–present) and publishes titles in the humanities and sciences, including the fiel ...
. Holmes was one of the most important editors of this classic text, and also translated many of the poetry works present in that collection.
His contribution into raising awareness of Dutch poetry into the
Anglo-Saxon world
The Anglosphere is a group of English-speaking nations that share historical and cultural ties with England, and which today maintain close political, diplomatic and military co-operation. While the nations included in different sources vary, t ...
was recognised by the Translation Center of Columbia University when it decided to establish a new award for Dutch translators called the James S. Holmes Award.
Associations, committees, orders and editions
In the Netherlands, Holmes always felt welcome, not only because of the vast array of acquaintances that had come from his works as a poet and translator, but especially from the many friendships born in the gay spheres of Amsterdam. His
American accent and the fact that he continued making mistakes with the Dutch
definite article was no reason for him to be considered a foreigner or treated as such.
Therefore, he began taking part in many varied committees and orders, he joined the editorial offices of the Dutch-Belgian youth magazine ''Gard Sivi'' and contributed to literary magazines such as ''Literair Paspoort'', ''De Gids'', ''De Nieuwe Stem'', ''Maatstaf'' and ''De Revisor''.
He was an active member of the Dutch and the
International PEN Club
PEN International (known as International PEN until 2010) is a worldwide association of writers, founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere. The association has autonomous Internationa ...
, the Writers' Association, the Dutch Literature Association and the
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
National Commission. He also became a participant in the committee of the Foundation for the Promotion of the Translation of Dutch Literary Works abroad, the Dutch Association of Translators, the Writers' Organization, School and Society, and was an honorary member of the Association of
Flemish
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...
Scholars.
Workshops, festivals and demonstrations
In 1967 Holmes organized the "Poetry for Now" demonstration, at the famous
Concertgebouw Theater in Amsterdam. During that event, the organizers covered the city with thousands of posters with translated poetry. After many years it was still possible to find posters stuck on bus stops, near the entrances of apartment blocks, in streetlights, on gates or level crossings. In the 70s Holmes began managing a workshop on poetry translation which attracted many students of various university faculties. Some of those students eventually became, in turn, famous poetry translators.
Holmes participated in every poetry demonstration, such as for example the Poetry International in Rotterdam and the One World Poetry in Amsterdam. Sometimes he recited poetry, sometimes he was a coordinator or gave conferences on translation, but he always made himself actively present. As soon as he had a chance, he organized conferences abroad on the topic of translated Dutch poetry, as for example at the
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
in Washington.
Poetry Gone Gay
In 1984, in the midst of the One World Poetry demonstration, he organized an evening called "Poetry Gone Gay", in which he read some of his works dealing with
homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...
and
eroticism
Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, sculp ...
. He found it extremely liberating to be able to show that part of his personality to the audience, and especially to obtain recognition and approval from it. Holmes loved to display his
sexual orientation
Sexual orientation is an enduring pattern of romantic or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. These attractions are generall ...
, not only in his poetry, but especially in his outfits and accessory choice. In the last years of his life he created the character that we see in the picture on this page: a middle-aged man with short white-as-snow hair, jeans with a studded waist, studded bracelets, a pink triangle on the flap of his jacket, a large handful of keys attached to the jeans, and the tip of a pink handkerchief sticking out of the back pocket. This same sexual freedom was, probably, the cause of his premature death caused by
AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
.
However, Holmes was aware of the dangers linked to his extravagant lifestyle, and openly declared that they had never, in any way, influenced his choices in life.
During his memorial, which was crowded, his life partner and great love Hans van Marle concluded his farewell speech with a short excerpt of the famous "Meditation XVII" of Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, a metaphysical piece written in 1624 by
John Donne
John Donne ( ; 22 January 1572 – 31 March 1631) was an English poet, scholar, soldier and secretary born into a recusant family, who later became a clergy, cleric in the Church of England. Under royal patronage, he was made Dean of St Paul's ...
, of which
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century fic ...
, in 1940, extracted the title of his famous novel ''
For Whom The Bell Tolls
''For Whom the Bell Tolls'' is a novel by Ernest Hemingway published in 1940. It tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American volunteer attached to a Republican guerrilla unit during the Spanish Civil War. As a dynamiter, he is assigned ...
'':
'No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
(...)
any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. '
Selected bibliography
Poetry
* Jim Holmes, ''Nine Hidebound Rimes. Poems 1977'' (Amsterdam, 1978).
* Jacob Lowland, ''The Gay Stud's Guide to Amsterdam and Other Sonnets'' (Amsterdam, 1978; second edition 1980).
* Jacob Lowland, ''Billy and the Banquet'' (Amsterdam, 1982).
* James S. Holmes, ''Early Verse 1947-1957'' (Amsterdam/New York, 1985).
Poetry translation
* Martinus Nijhoff, ''Awater. A Long Poem, With a Comment on Poetry in Period of Crisis'' (Amsterdam, 1992).
* Paul Snoek and Willem M. Roggeman (editor), ''A Quarter Century of Poetry from Belgium'' (Flemish Volume) (Bruxelles/L'Aja, 1970).
* Peter Glasgold (ed.), ''Living Space'' (New York, 1979).
* Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Scott Rollins (editor), ''Nine Dutch Poets'' (San Francisco, 1982).
* James S. Holmes and William Jay Smith (editor), ''Dutch Interior. Postwar Poetry from the Netherlands and Flanders'' (New York, 1984).
Many translations in magazines such as:
* ''Modern Poetry in Translation'' (Monographical issue on the Netherlands 27/28, 1976)
* ''Delta''
* ''Atlantic''
* ''Carcanet''
* ''Chelsea Review''
* ''Poetry Quarterly''
Scientific works and articles
* James S. Holmes et al. (editor), ''The Nature of Translation. Essays on the Theory and Practice of Literary Translation'' (L'Aja/Bratislava, 1970).
* James S. Holmes et al. (editor), ''Literature and Translation. New Perspectives in Literary Studies'' (Leuven, 1978).
* James S. Holmes, ''Translated!. Papers on Literary Translation and Translation Studies'' (Amsterdam, 1988).
References
External links
*
Site of the Digitale Bibliotheek voor de Nederlandse Letteren (DBNL) Digital Library of Dutch Literature
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holmes, James Stratton
1986 deaths
1924 births
20th-century Dutch poets
20th-century Dutch male writers
Dutch translators
Dutch–English translators
American gay writers
Dutch gay writers
LGBT people from Iowa
Dutch LGBT poets
American LGBT poets
American emigrants to the Netherlands
Dutch male poets
20th-century American poets
20th-century American male writers
20th-century translators
Dutch translation scholars
American translation scholars
Gay academics
Gay poets
20th-century American LGBT people
20th-century Dutch LGBT people
Translation theorists