The original poem won’t be copyrighted, but the translation might. Old translations will be in the public domain (like all works from the same time), recent translations will not be. 

Do I need permission to translate a poem?

If the poem is protected by copyright, yes. If the poem is old enough to be in the public domain, no.

Are translated works copyrighted?

a) Are translations protected by copyright? According to internationally binding regulations (e.g. the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic works), translations, among other alternations, are protected as original works without prejudice to the copyright in the original work.

Are haikus copyrighted?

Yes, all of Issa’s haiku are in the public domain. However, most translations are not, which are typically still under the translator’s copyright for the life of the translator plus 50 or 75 years or whatever the law is where you live.

Can poems be copyrighted?

Published collections of poetry may be registered on a single form with a single fee if all the poems are owned by the same copyright claimant.

How do I get permission to translate a poem?

If you are seeking permission to trans- late a specific story or group of poems, the permissions statement needs to be more specific: “I hereby grant [your name] the right to translate into English my short story [or poems], [title of work], and to publish it in a literary magazine of his [or her] choice.”

How much of a poem can I copy without permission?

You can use up to 10%, but no more than 1000 words, of essays, articles, or stories, of a single copyrighted work. You can use up to 250 words of an entire poem, or a portion of a poem. You may not use more than 3 poems or portions of poems by one poet, or by different poets in the same book.
 

Do translations violate copyright?

Translations are recognized by copyright law as sufficiently original work to receive their own copyrights – as long as they weren’t copied. Therefore, translators are considered authors and any original translation produced is protected by copyright law.
 

Who owns the copyright of a translated work?

Copyright ownership in an authorized translation of an underlying work is clear: the translator will be the first owner of the copyright in the translation. However, ss. 13(3) of the Act provides for an exception if the translation was made during the course of employment: the copyright will be owned by the employer.
 

Can you plagiarize if you translate?

To answer Manon, translating without citing the original author is considered plagiarism and is called translingual plagiarism.
 

Can poem be translated?

Poetry can certainly be translated, and it is, but an authentic translation cannot exist if the poet himself does not translate his own work. As for the translations that we do read in literary journals or in translated collections, it’s important to remember that the translation is the creative work of the translator.
 

Why is translating a poem difficult?

The meters, rhymes, alliterations, metaphors and other devices that make a poem worth reading are nearly impossible to accurately translate into another language.
 

How do I ask for permission to translate?

How To Get Permission To Translate a Book/ Novel? Getting permission for translating a literary piece of work is very simple and straightforward. All you need is to try and contact the original author and ask for his/her permission.