I was always interested in French poetry sort of as a sideline to my own work, I was translating contemporary French poets. That kind of spilled out into translation as a way to earn money, pay for food and put bread on the table.

Summary

This quote expresses the speaker's initial interest in French poetry as a personal pursuit alongside their own writing. They began translating contemporary French poets, which eventually evolved into a means of earning money to sustain themselves. The speaker highlights the pragmatic side of their translation work - it served as a means to make a living, cover basic needs, and ensure their survival ("put bread on the table").

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