Cecilia Meireles

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Cecilia Meireles INTRODUCTION Here is my life: This sand so clear With drawing that walk Dedicated to the wind… Here is my voice: This empty shell The shadow of a sound Preserving its own lament… Here is my grief: This broken coral Surviving its pathetic moment… Here is my heritage: This solitary sea — On one side it was love And on the other forgetfulness. PORTRAIT I did not have this face of today So calm So sad So thin. Nor these eyes so empty Nor this bitter mouth. I did not have these strenghtless hands So still And cold And dead. I did not realize this change So simple So certain So easy. In what mirror did I lose my face? MOTIVE I sing because the moment exists And my life is complete. I am not gay, I am not sad: I am a poet. Brother of fugitive things, I feel no delight or torment. I cross nights and days In the wind. Whether I destroy or build, Whether I persist or disperse, — I don´t know, I don´t know. I don´t know if I stay or go. I know that I sing. The song is everything. The rhythmic wing has eternal blood, And I know that one day I shall be dumb: — Nothing more. GUITAR Silver dagger you were, Silver dagger! It was not you who made Such a fool of my hand. I saw you shining among stones, Silver dagger! On your handle, blooming flowers, On your blade, the exact measure, The exact, the precise measure, Silver dagger! To cut through to my heart With an initial and a date. The greatest pain I have, Silver dagger, Is not to see me dying, But to know who is killing me.

INTRODUCTION

Here is my life:
This sand so clear
With drawing that walk
Dedicated to the wind…

Here is my voice:
This empty shell
The shadow of a sound
Preserving its own lament…

Here is my grief:
This broken coral
Surviving its pathetic moment…

Here is my heritage:
This solitary sea —
On one side it was love
And on the other forgetfulness.

PORTRAIT

I did not have this face of today
So calm
So sad
So thin.

Nor these eyes so empty
Nor this bitter mouth.

I did not have these strenghtless hands
So still
And cold
And dead.

I did not realize this change
So simple
So certain

So easy.

In what mirror did I lose my face?

MOTIVE

I sing because the moment exists
And my life is complete.
I am not gay, I am not sad:
I am a poet.

Brother of fugitive things,
I feel no delight or torment.
I cross nights and days
In the wind.

Whether I destroy or build,
Whether I persist or disperse,
— I don´t know, I don´t know.
I don´t know if I stay or go.

I know that I sing.
The song is everything.
The rhythmic wing has eternal blood,
And I know that one day I shall be dumb:
— Nothing more.

GUITAR

Silver dagger you were,
Silver dagger!
It was not you who made
Such a fool of my hand.

I saw you shining among stones,
Silver dagger!
On your handle, blooming flowers,
On your blade, the exact measure,

The exact, the precise measure,
Silver dagger!
To cut through to my heart
With an initial and a date.

The greatest pain I have,
Silver dagger,
Is not to see me dying,
But to know who is killing me.