If Not, Winter - Sappho

If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho is a breathtaking modern translation of one of antiquity’s most influential poets. In this remarkable work, Anne Carson, the celebrated poet and classicist, restores Sappho’s lyric voice—a voice that has echoed through centuries yet remains tantalizingly incomplete.

Of the nine volumes Sappho is believed to have written, only one poem survives in full, while the rest reach us as fragments—torn, faded, and fragile. Carson presents these remnants in both Greek and English, preserving the haunting silences between the words and allowing readers to feel the weight of time and loss.

Each piece is a glimpse into love, longing, and the intensity of lived experience, themes that resonate as powerfully today as they did in ancient Greece. Through Carson’s minimal, elegant translation, the reader experiences not only the poetry itself but also the intimate act of reconstruction—as if piecing together the thoughts of a soul across millennia.

Main Themes of the Book

• Love and desire: The tenderness and ferocity of passion in its purest form.
• Time and loss: The erosion of art and memory through centuries.
• Language and silence: The beauty of what remains unsaid, between the lines.
• Feminine voice and power: Sappho’s timeless articulation of emotion and identity.

Why You Should Read This Book by Sappho

• A landmark translation by poet and scholar Anne Carson, blending scholarship and artistry.
• The most complete and faithful collection of Sappho’s surviving works in one volume.
• Perfect for lovers of poetry, classical literature, and feminist writing.
• Offers a rare dual-language format that captures the rhythm and texture of the original Greek.

If Not, Winter is more than a translation—it is an act of resurrection. Through Carson’s luminous voice, Sappho’s fragments speak once more, full of longing, fire, and humanity. This edition stands as a testament to the enduring power of poetry and the fragile beauty of what survives.