Peter Cole

Peter Cole (born 1957) is a MacArthur-winning poet

and translator who lives in Jerusalem and New Haven. Peter Cole
Cole was born in 1957 in Paterson, New Jersey. He
attended Williams College and Hampshire College,
and moved to Jerusalem in 1981. He has been called
"one of the handful of authentic poets of his own
American generation" by the critic Harold Bloom.[1] In
a 2015 interview in The Paris Review, he described his
work as poet and translator as "at heart, the same
activity carried out at different points along a Peter Cole speaks at Kelly Writers House in
2015.
spectrum."[2]
Born 1957 (age 66–67)
Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.

Literary career Nationality American

Alma mater Williams College;
In addition to its focus on what he calls "deep Hampshire College
translation,"[2] Cole's work as both a poet and a Genres Poetry; Translation
translator reflects a sustained engagement with the Spouse Adina Hoffman
cultures of Judaism and especially of the Middle East.
He is, Eliot Weinberger has written, "an urban poet
whose city is Jerusalem; a classicist whose Antiquity is medieval Hebrew; a sensualist whose objects of
delight are Mediterranean; an avant-gardist whose forms are the meditation, the song, the jeremiad, the
proverb."[3] The American Poet noted that "prosodic mastery fuses with a keen moral intelligence" in
Cole's work, which the reviewer says is distinctive for its unfashionable engagement with wisdom and
beauty.[4] Writing in Bomb magazine, poet and novelist Ben Lerner observed that Cole's poetry is
"remarkable for its combination of intellectual rigor with delight in surface, for how its prosody returns
each abstraction to the body, linking thought and breath, metaphysics and musicality. Religious, erotic,
elegaic, pissed off--the affective range is wide and the forms restless."[5]

Cole's first book of poems, Rift, was published in 1989 by Station Hill Press. His subsequent volumes of
poetry include What is Doubled: Poems 1981-1998 (Shearsman, UK), Things on Which I've Stumbled
(New Directions, 2008), and The Invention of Influence (New Directions, 2014), which was a finalist for
the Poetry Society of America's William Carlos Williams Award. That book included an extended
dramatic poem about the maverick Vienna psychoanalyst Victor Tausk and his notion of "the influence
machine." In a 2013 interview with Bookslut, Cole talked about the poem as "a case history of
susceptibility" and about the influence machine as a figure for literary tradition: "We're always being
manipulated by forces outside us -- familial, fraternal, sexual, social, and literary presences that have
brought us to a given moment or scene of 'translation,' or expression. And then we're taken over, as it
were, or even possessed by the various presences that enter our lives, for better and worse -- consciously
and unconsciously. We're inhabited. These presences live on in us and in some cases become ingrained in
us, as habit. And these habits in turn draw other presences to and through us. As poets, as makers, even as
readers, whenever we're in the space of the poem, we're constantly in the process of being made and
being had -- in all senses of the term, positive and negative. There's something marvelous and
exhilarating about this, but also terrifying. One's made greater, clearly, but also runs the risk of ceasing to
be one self, which is to say, oneself."[6]

In 2017, Farrar, Straus and Giroux published his Hymns & Qualms: New and Selected Poems and
Translations, which The Paris Review Daily called “a wise and radiant collection,” saying it “cannot be
recommended strongly enough.”[7] Poet Christian Wiman, meanwhile, wrote: “I love this book—for its
idiosyncratic music, its moral and spiritual intelligence, and the balance it maintains between pain and
joy, provocation and solace. People are always asking what’s the point of poetry when the world is going
to hell. Hymns & Qualms is a potent reply.” [1]

Cole has also worked intensively on Hebrew literature, with special emphasis on medieval Hebrew
poetry. His 2007 anthology, The Dream of the Poem: Hebrew Poetry in Muslim and Christian Spain, 950-
1492 (Princeton)—recipient of the National Jewish Book Award and winner of the American Publishers
Association's award for Book of the Year—traces the arc of the entire period. Poet and translator Richard
Howard described Cole's work as "an entire revelation: a body of lyric and didactic verse so intense, so
intelligent, and so vivid that it appears to identify a whole dimension of historical consciousness
previously unavailable to us."[8] The New York Times Book Review wrote that "his versions are
masterly."[9]

Cole has also published highly praised translations of contemporary Hebrew and Arabic poetry and
fiction by Aharon Shabtai, Yoel Hoffmann, Taha Muhammad Ali, Avraham Ben-Yitzhak, and others. Cole
describes his approach to translation in an essay, "Making Sense in Translation,"[10] and in several
interviews—in The Paris Review[11] and Readysteadybooks.[12]

Sacred Trash: The Lost and Found World of the Cairo Geniza, a nonfiction book wrote with his wife,
Adina Hoffman, was published in 2011 by Schocken Books and tells the story of the recovery from a
Cairo geniza (or repository for worn-out texts) of the most vital cache of Hebrew manuscripts ever
discovered. A review in The Nation characterized it as a "literary jewel whose pages turn like those of a
well-paced thriller, but with all the chiseled elegance and flashes of linguistic surprise that we associate
with poetry."[13]

Cole, who has been a visiting artist at Wesleyan University, and Middlebury College, currently teaches
one semester a year at Yale University.[14]

Bibliography

Poetry

Rift (1989)[15]
Hymns & Qualms (1997)[15]
What is Doubled: Poems 1981-1998 (2005)[16]
Things on Which I've Stumbled (2008)[15]
The Invention of Influence (2014)[15]
Hymns & Qualms: New and Selected Poems and Translations (2017)[15][17]
 On Being Drawn: An Ekphrastic Translation (with Commentary), with Terry Winters
(2019)[15]
Draw Me After (2022)[15][18]

Translation & Editing

Shmuel HaNagid, Selected Poems of Shmuel HaNagid (1996)[19]

Harold Schimmel, Qasida (1997)[19]
Harold Schimmel, From Island to Island (1997)
Aharon Shabtai, Love & Selected Poems (1998)[19]
Solomon Ibn Gabirol, Selected Poems of Solomon Ibn Gabirol (2001)[19]
Avraham Ben Yitzhak, Collected Poems, Hannan Hever, ed. (2002)
Aharon Shabtai, J’accuse (2003)[20]
Yoel Hoffman, The Shunra and the Schmetterling (2004)[19]
Taha Muhammad Ali, So What: New & Selected Poems, 1971-2005, with Yahya Hijazi and
Gabriel Levin (2006)[20]
Yoel Hoffman, The Heart is Katmandu (2006)[19]
The Dream of the Poem: Hebrew Poetry from Muslim and Christian Spain, 950–1492
(2007)[20][18]
Hebrew Writers on Writing (2008)[20]
Yoel Hoffmann, Curriculum Vitae (2009)[19][21]
Aharon Shabtai, War & Love, Love & War: New and Selected Poems (2011)[20]
The Poetry of the Kabbalah: Mystical Verse from the Jewish Tradition (2012)[18][20]
Yoel Hoffmann, Moods (2015)[20]

Nonfiction
Sacred Trash: The Lost and Found World of the Cairo Geniza, with Adina Hoffman
(2011)[18]

Personal life
He is married to Adina Hoffman, an essayist and biographer.[22]

Honors and awards

2012 John Frederick Nims Prize (Poetry Magazine)[23]
2010 American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature[24]
2007 MacArthur Fellows Program[25]
2007 National Jewish Book Award in Poetry for The Dream of the Poem[26]
National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship
NEH Fellowship
2004 PEN Translation Fund Grant from PEN American Center
 2004 PEN Award for Poetry in Translation
2002 Guggenheim Fellow[27]
TLS Translation Prize
MLA's Scaglione Prize for Translation
Hawkins Prize for Book of the Year from the Association of American Publishers'
Professional and Scholarly Publishing Division
G.E. Younger Writers' Award.

References
1. Macmillan. "Hymns & Qualms | Peter Cole | Macmillan" (http://us.macmillan.com/hymnsqual
ms/petercole). Macmillan. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
2. Cohen, Joshua (2015-01-01). "Peter Cole, The Art of Translation No. 5" (http://www.theparis
review.org/interviews/6386/the-art-of-translation-no-5-peter-cole). Paris Review. No. 213.
ISSN 0031-2037 (https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0031-2037). Archived (https://web.archive.
org/web/20161126041608/http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/6386/the-art-of-translati
on-no-5-peter-cole) from the original on 2016-11-26. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
3. "Peter Cole" (https://web.archive.org/web/20121212064237/http://www.shearsman.com/pag
es/books/catalog/2005/cole.html). Archived from the original (http://www.shearsman.com/pa
ges/books/catalog/2005/cole.html) on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2011-07-17.
4. "Short Bio Note" (http://ibiseditions.com/petercole/about/short-bio-note/). Ibis Editions.
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220523114023/http://ibiseditions.com/petercole/ab
out/short-bio-note/) from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
5. "BOMB Magazine — Peter Cole by Ben Lerner" (https://web.archive.org/web/20160920170
752/http://bombmagazine.org/article/3180/peter-cole). bombmagazine.org. Archived from
the original (http://bombmagazine.org/article/3180/peter-cole) on 2016-09-20. Retrieved
2016-10-23.
6. "Bookslut | An Interview with Peter Cole" (https://web.archive.org/web/20131127054321/htt
p://www.bookslut.com/features/2013_11_020371.php). bookslut.com. Archived from the
original (http://www.bookslut.com/features/2013_11_020371.php) on 2013-11-27.
7. "What Our Writers Are Reading This Summer" (https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2017/0
6/30/contributors-reading-summer-2/). The Paris Review. 2017-06-30. Archived (https://web.
archive.org/web/20190505140843/https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2017/06/30/contribut
ors-reading-summer-2/) from the original on 2019-05-05. Retrieved 2019-05-05.
8. Cole, Peter (22 January 2007). The Dream of the Poem (http://press.princeton.edu/titles/834
9.html). Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691121956. Archived (https://web.archive.or
g/web/20110811222706/http://press.princeton.edu/titles/8349.html) from the original on 11
August 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
9. Ormsby, Eric (6 May 2007). "From Arabic to Hebrew" (https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/06/
books/review/Ormsby.t.html). The New York Times. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2
0161106031304/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/06/books/review/Ormsby.t.html) from the
original on 6 November 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
10. "Making Sense in Translation" (https://web.archive.org/web/20180921015420/http://www.tra
nslationindustry.ir/Uploads/Pdf/In_Translation__(www.EnglishPro.ir).pdf) (PDF). Archived
from the original (http://www.translationindustry.ir/Uploads/Pdf/In_Translation__(www.Englis
hPro.ir).pdf) (PDF) on 2018-09-21.
11. Cohen, Interviewed by Joshua (2015). "The Art of Translation No. 5" (http://www.theparisrevi
ew.org/interviews/6386/the-art-of-translation-no-5-peter-cole). The Paris Review.
Vol. Summer 2015, no. 213. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20161126041608/http://
www.theparisreview.org/interviews/6386/the-art-of-translation-no-5-peter-cole) from the
original on 2016-11-26. Retrieved 2015-06-11.
12. "Peter Cole « Interview « ReadySteadyBook - for literature..." (https://web.archive.org/web/2
0161024023110/http://www.readysteadybook.com/Article.aspx?page=petercole)
www.readysteadybook.com. Archived from the original (http://www.readysteadybook.com/Ar
ticle.aspx?page=petercole) on 2016-10-24. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
13. Nirenberg, David (June 2011). "From Cairo to Córdoba: The Story of the Cairo Geniza" (htt
p://www.thenation.com/article/161076/cairo-cordoba-story-cairo-geniza). The Nation.
14. "Peter Cole" (http://complit.yale.edu/people/peter-cole). Archived (https://web.archive.org/we
b/20161024085008/http://complit.yale.edu/people/peter-cole) from the original on 2016-10-
24.
15. "Peter Cole: Poetry & Prose" (http://ibiseditions.com/petercole/poetry/). Ibis Editions. 2019.
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220928170621/http://ibiseditions.com/petercole/po
etry/) from the original on 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
16. Cole, Peter (2005). What is Doubled: Poems 1981-1998 (https://books.google.com/books?id
=EosgAQAAIAAJ). Shearsman Books. ISBN 978-0-907562-79-5.
17. Cole, Peter (2017-05-23). Hymns & Qualms: New and Selected Poems and Translations (htt
ps://books.google.com/books?id=AgFpDQAAQBAJ). Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 978-
0-374-71578-6.
18. Foundation, Poetry (2022-09-28). "Peter Cole" (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/pete
r-cole). Poetry Foundation. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220928170620/https://w
ww.poetryfoundation.org/poets/peter-cole) from the original on 2022-09-28. Retrieved
2022-09-28.
19. "Peter Cole: Other Translations" (http://ibiseditions.com/petercole/translations/). Ibis
Editions. 2019. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220928170621/http://ibiseditions.co
m/petercole/translations/) from the original on 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
20. "Peter Cole: Translation" (http://ibiseditions.com/petercole/translation/). Ibis Editions. 2019.
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220928170621/http://ibiseditions.com/petercole/tra
nslation/) from the original on 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
21. Cole, Peter (2009-04-01). "Translator's Note: "Curriculum Vitae" by Yoel Hoffmann" (https://
www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/articles/145601/translator39s-note-curriculum-vit
ae-by-yoel-hoffmann). Poetry Foundation. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/202209281
70619/https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/articles/145601/translator39s-note-
curriculum-vitae-by-yoel-hoffmann) from the original on 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
22. "Interview with Peter Cole" (https://web.archive.org/web/20081014093108/http://www.readys
teadybook.com/Article.aspx?page=petercole). Archived from the original (http://www.readyst
eadybook.com/Article.aspx?page=petercole) on 2008-10-14. Retrieved 2008-07-27.
23. "Poetry Magazine Prizes - Poetry Foundation" (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymag
azine/prizes). www.poetryfoundation.org. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2016102408
5239/https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/prizes) from the original on 2016-
10-24. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
24. "American Academy of Arts and Letters - Award Winners" (https://web.archive.org/web/2008
1013232000/http://www.artsandletters.org/awards2_popup.php?abbrev=Academy).
www.artsandletters.org. Archived from the original (http://www.artsandletters.org/awards2_p
opup.php?abbrev=Academy) on 2008-10-13. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
25. "2007 Fellows Individual Pages - MacArthur Foundation" (https://web.archive.org/web/2008
0303222755/http://www.macfound.org/site/c.lkLXJ8MQKrH/b.2913825/apps/nl/content2.as
p?content_id=%7BF026BA49-836B-4CCF-B5CA-05AD4290995B%7D&notoc=1).
macfound.org. Archived from the original (http://www.macfound.org/site/c.lkLXJ8MQKrH/b.2
913825/apps/nl/content2.asp?content_id=%7BF026BA49-836B-4CCF-B5CA-05AD4290995
B%7D&notoc=1) on 2008-03-03.
26. "Past Winners" (https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/awards/national-jewish-book-awards/pas
t-winners?category=30772). Jewish Book Council. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20
200605115922/https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/awards/national-jewish-book-awards/past
-winners?category=30772) from the original on 2020-06-05. Retrieved 2020-01-24.
27. "Peter Cole - John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation" (https://archive.today/201207
09123759/http://jsgmf.org/fellows/2798-peter-cole). Archived from the original (http://jsgmf.or
g/fellows/2798-peter-cole) on 2012-07-09. Retrieved 2010-03-24.

External links
Peter Cole's website (http://ibiseditions.com/petercole/)
Harold Bloom's review of The Dream of the Poem in the New York Review of Books (http://w
ww.nybooks.com/articles/20338)
Eric Ormsby's review of The Dream of the Poem in the New York Times (https://www.nytime
s.com/2007/05/06/books/review/Ormsby.t.html?_r=1&oref=slogin)
Joshua Cohen (Summer 2015). "Peter Cole, The Art of Translation No. 5" (http://www.thepar
isreview.org/interviews/6386/the-art-of-translation-no-5-peter-cole). The Paris Review.
Summer 2015 (213).[1] (http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/6386/the-art-of-translation-
no-5-peter-cole)
"The Invention of Influence" (http://www.kcrw.com/news-culture/shows/bookworm/peter-cole
-the-invention-of-influence/). Bookworm (Interview). Interviewed by Michael Silverblatt.
KCRW. February 2015.

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