If Not, Winter：Fragments of Sappho

OftheninebooksoflyricstheancientGreekpoetSapphoissaidtohavecomposed,onlyonepoemhassurvivedcomplete.Therestarefragments.Inthismiraculousnewtranslation,acclaimedpoetandclassicistAnneCarsonpresentsallofSappho’sfragments,inGreekandinEnglish,asifontheraggedscrapsofpapyrusthatpreservethem,invitingathrillofdiscoveryandconjecturethatcanbedescribedonlyaselectric—or,touseSappho’swords,as“thinfire...racingunderskin.”BycombiningtheancientmysteriesofSapphowiththecontemporarywizardryofoneofourmostfearlessandoriginalpoets,IfNot,Winterprovidesatantalizingwindowontothegeniusofawomanwhoselyricpowerspansmillennia.