Cleanthess
Dinanukht wannabe
So Nobel fever is over, back to work.
Cecilia Meireles, one of the greatest female poets in the world; little known outside of the Portuguese language. The usual Wikipedia search will provide you with the facts of her life.
I'd just like to point out that many of her best poems are conventional, sensible, moderate even plain verses. No rhyme, or simple rhymes, no flights of fancy, just a carefully and calmly expressed thought.
Reading her best work, you get the feeling of a tight-rope walker crossing the space without a net, because there is no margin for error in poetry this direct. It's to her great credit that she achieved so much power with so little apparent effort.
Canteiros/Flowerbeds
When I think of you
I close my eyes with nostalgia;
I've had a lot of things,
Except for happiness.
My long fingers move
Between the sad verses that I write,
Not even my heart's passion
Can now bring me joy.
It may even be morning,
Dawn clear like the day,
But none of what they say
can make me feel joy.
I just wanted to get in the wild,
A taste of raspberry,
To run between flowerbeds
And hide my sorrow.
I'm still too young
to be this sad.
And let's forget these things,
Let us take care of life,
To avoid having death
Or something like it
Come and drag us away
Young and without having seen life.
Quando penso em você
Fecho os olhos de saudade
Tenho tido muita coisa,
Menos a felicidade
Correm os meus dedos longos
Em versos tristes que invento
Nem aquilo a que me entrego
Já me traz contentamento
Pode ser até manhã,
Cedo claro feito dia
Mas nada do que me dizem
Me faz sentir alegria
Eu só queria ter no mato
Um gosto de framboesa
Prá correr entre os canteiros
E esconder minha tristeza
Que eu ainda sou bem moço
Prá tanta tristeza
E deixemos de coisa,
Cuidemos da vida,
Pois se não chega a morte
Ou coisa parecida
E nos arrasta moço
Sem ter visto a vida.
Cecilia Meireles, one of the greatest female poets in the world; little known outside of the Portuguese language. The usual Wikipedia search will provide you with the facts of her life.
I'd just like to point out that many of her best poems are conventional, sensible, moderate even plain verses. No rhyme, or simple rhymes, no flights of fancy, just a carefully and calmly expressed thought.
Reading her best work, you get the feeling of a tight-rope walker crossing the space without a net, because there is no margin for error in poetry this direct. It's to her great credit that she achieved so much power with so little apparent effort.
Canteiros/Flowerbeds
When I think of you
I close my eyes with nostalgia;
I've had a lot of things,
Except for happiness.
My long fingers move
Between the sad verses that I write,
Not even my heart's passion
Can now bring me joy.
It may even be morning,
Dawn clear like the day,
But none of what they say
can make me feel joy.
I just wanted to get in the wild,
A taste of raspberry,
To run between flowerbeds
And hide my sorrow.
I'm still too young
to be this sad.
And let's forget these things,
Let us take care of life,
To avoid having death
Or something like it
Come and drag us away
Young and without having seen life.
Quando penso em você
Fecho os olhos de saudade
Tenho tido muita coisa,
Menos a felicidade
Correm os meus dedos longos
Em versos tristes que invento
Nem aquilo a que me entrego
Já me traz contentamento
Pode ser até manhã,
Cedo claro feito dia
Mas nada do que me dizem
Me faz sentir alegria
Eu só queria ter no mato
Um gosto de framboesa
Prá correr entre os canteiros
E esconder minha tristeza
Que eu ainda sou bem moço
Prá tanta tristeza
E deixemos de coisa,
Cuidemos da vida,
Pois se não chega a morte
Ou coisa parecida
E nos arrasta moço
Sem ter visto a vida.
Last edited:
