Home > Poetry > This inner time is mine
profile/tanella-boni.md
Translated from the French by Todd Fredson
Published: Mon Oct 25 2021
Eva Lundsager, Were now like (detail), 2021, oil on canvas
AGNI 94 Print Only

Tanella Boni is one of the most prominent figures in modern African literature. Born in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, she did her advanced studies in France before returning to Côte d’Ivoire as a professor of philosophy. She has won the Prix Théophile Gautier from the French Academy, for her poetry collection Là où il fait si clair en moi (There where it’s so bright in me); the Antonio Viccaro International Poetry Prize; and the Ahmadou Kourouma Prize, for her novel Matins de couvre-feu (Mornings after curfew). She served as president of the Writers’ Association of Côte d’Ivoire from 1991 to 1997. (updated 10/2021)

Todd Fredson is the author of two poetry collections: Century Worm (New Issues Press, 2018) and The Crucifix-Blocks (Tebot Bach, 2012). He has made French to English translations of Ivorian poet Josué Guébo’s books My country, tonight (Action Books, 2016) and Think of Lampedusa (University of Nebraska Press, 2017), as well as Ivorian poet Tanella Boni’s collection The Future Has an Appointment with the Dawn (University of Nebraska Press, 2018), which was a finalist for the Best Translated Book Award and the National Translation Award. His translation of Boni’s most recent collection, There where it’s so bright in me, is forthcoming (University of Nebraska Press, 2022), as is a translation of Bété poet Azo Vauguy’s long poems Zakwato and Loglêdou’s Peril (Action Books, 2023). Fredson is the recipient of Fulbright and National Endowment for the Arts fellowships. (updated 10/2021)
Back to top