In 2003, the very first issue of this publication –then known as Absinthe : New European Writing- opened with a series of poems translated by Adam J. Sorkin, one of the most prominent and prolific translators of Romanian and Moldovan literature in the English-speaking world, who has since been a frequent contributor to the magazine.
As the next chapter opens for Absinthe –bringing a new subtitle, A Journal of World Literature in Translation, and a new home at the University of Michigan- the new team of editors wished to show their commitment to honoring the legacy established by founding editor Dwayne Hayes and decided to emphasize, in a special feature, the continuity between Absinthe’s previous and current incarnations. They invited Adam J. Sorkin to choose a recent translation of his to close the present issue. He generously replied to the invitation and selected a few poems by Romanian-Canadian author Diana Manole.