Kerschen is an educator and freelance writer. In this essay, she compares the differences found in various translations of the Vallejo poem “The Black Heralds” and comments on the possible changes in tone and meaning that these differences can make.

It is said that every Peruvian knows the opening line of “Los Heraldos Negros,” the title poem to César Vallejo’s first book, published in 1919 in Lima: “Hay golpes en la vida tan fuertes . . . Yono sé!” Translated into English, this line from “The Black Heralds” is: “There are blows in life so hard . . . I just don’t know!” Or is it? The book was, of course, written and published in Spanish, so English readers have to rely upon the quality of the translation to be able to discern the tone and meaning...