As often happens when I like an author, I begin collecting any work I can get my hands on. I found Tomas Transtromer: Selected Poems 1954-1986 edited by Robert Haas in a second-hand bookstore in Stillwater, MN over ten years ago. I am thrilled that more collections of his poems are more readily available. I recently purchased The Half-Finished Heaven: The Best Poems of Tomas Transtromer chosen and translated by Robert Bly and Tomas Transtromer:The Great Enigma, New Collected Poems translated by Robin Fulton. So, here is my question...

Which translation of Kyrie is better?

I personally prefer Robin Fulton's version, which appears in Haas' edition. The words "invisibly," "slowly," "tread" work for me better than Bly's ""no one sees me," "for a long, long time," "thump." I assume Haas liked Fulton's translation best since he used it. And, like Haas, I would choose Bly's Nocturne translation over Fultons.

I will also say, I wish I knew Swedish. It must be so much better to read the poems exactly how Transtromer wrote them!