Interesting, the way he's crafted his poem, the odd, disjointed phrasing slows it down, breaks it up, makes it sound funerary, dirge like, despite the sunny flowers, the pastoral message, as if he's deconstructing that sentiment. The final two lines sums up that deconstructed message: no remorse for having lived, as if there is cause to forgive the gods for having sentenced us to such short time spans.
Agreed. Doing nothing is something important. Every moment can be an act of witness or serenity. I pull over and stare (take photos for poems!) at fields here in Wisconsin. Eat lunch lakeside. Float. Drift. Nature is our tranquilizer and equalizer, Reawakening us in soul time. @zihuawriter on Instagram
I know it about this one, as I'm a native Portuguese speaker and Pessoa is my favorite poet. But, for example, this poem is in fact signed by Ricardo Reis, one of Pessoa's heteronyms; in his oeuvre that's a big deal. And I'd like to know the translator because they made a good work that deserves credit.
For my fellow Portuguese speakers, the original goes like this (next comment):
Mestre, são plácidas
Mestre, são plácidas
Todas as horas
Que nós perdemos.
Se no perdê-las,
Qual numa jarra,
Nós pomos flores.
Não há tristezas
Nem alegrias
Na nossa vida.
Assim saibamos,
Sábios incautos,
Não a viver,
Mas decorrê-la,
Tranquilos, plácidos,
Tendo as crianças
Por nossas mestras,
E os olhos cheios
De Natureza...
A beira-rio,
A beira-estrada,
Conforme calha,
Sempre no mesmo
Leve descanso
De estar vivendo.
O tempo passa,
Não nos diz nada.
Envelhecemos.
Saibamos, quase
Maliciosos,
Sentir-nos ir.
Não vale a pena
Fazer um gesto.
Não se resiste
Ao deus atroz
Que os próprios filhos
Devora sempre.
Colhamos flores.
Molhemos leves
As nossas mãos
Nos rios calmos,
Para aprendermos
Calma também.
Girassóis sempre
Fitando o Sol,
Da vida iremos
Tranquilos, tendo
Nem o remorso
De ter vivido.
Thank you! I was reading it and trying to guess the Portuguese words.
The luxury of time unmanaged. Truly beautiful
“…not have even the remorse of having lived.” Took my breath away.
Thank you for this poem and it’s wisdom.
A poem in defense of a passive life. A bit like Whitman's loafing. This attitude hopefully is s part of everyone's life.
Interesting, the way he's crafted his poem, the odd, disjointed phrasing slows it down, breaks it up, makes it sound funerary, dirge like, despite the sunny flowers, the pastoral message, as if he's deconstructing that sentiment. The final two lines sums up that deconstructed message: no remorse for having lived, as if there is cause to forgive the gods for having sentenced us to such short time spans.
Odd as it may seem, being Portuguese, I love reading Pessoa in English. ❤ 😊
Agreed. Doing nothing is something important. Every moment can be an act of witness or serenity. I pull over and stare (take photos for poems!) at fields here in Wisconsin. Eat lunch lakeside. Float. Drift. Nature is our tranquilizer and equalizer, Reawakening us in soul time. @zihuawriter on Instagram
Beautiful poem! It's almost Daoist, excepting the part about the cruel god.
It would be nice to have some basic info about the poem, like original title or language, translator, date of publishing etc.
Read back in recent comments! Portuguese, including beautiful original language post...this was a translation ...
I know it about this one, as I'm a native Portuguese speaker and Pessoa is my favorite poet. But, for example, this poem is in fact signed by Ricardo Reis, one of Pessoa's heteronyms; in his oeuvre that's a big deal. And I'd like to know the translator because they made a good work that deserves credit.
Reminds me much of Czeslaw. Much good for my soul. TY
This is nice
Beautiful, thank you