Brazilian writers: Cecília Meireles (poesy)

WHO IS CECÍLIA MEIRELES?

Cecília Benevides de Carvalho Meireles was a poetize, painter, teacher and journalist from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Her fist poesy book was published in 1919 when she was just eighteen, the book’s name was “Espectros”. The Wikipedia listed forty works by Cecilia and this is just some of the many jobs that she writes.

Photo by Brasileiríssimos

She is very famous and well respected, and her books were part of my infancy. =) Any grammar book, here in Brazil, had a poem white by her.

I brought a poem by Cecília Meireles for you know and translate the verses into English for you understand better.

Ou Isso Ou Aquilo , by Cecília Meireles.

Ou se tem chuva e não se tem sol

ou se tem sol e não se tem chuva!

(Or it rains and there is not Sun,

Or there is Sun and it does not rain!)

 

Ou se calça a luva e não se põe o anel,

ou se põe o anel e não se calça a luva!

(Or we wear the glove and we do not put the ring,

Or we put the ring and we do not wear the glove!)

 

Quem sobe nos ares não fica no chão,

quem fica no chão não sobe nos ares.

(Who flies does not stay on the floor,

Who stays on the floor does not fly!)

É uma grande pena que não se possa

estar ao mesmo tempo em dois lugares!

(It is a great pity that it can’t be

at the same time in two places!)

Ou guardo o dinheiro e não compro o doce,

ou compro o doce e gasto o dinheiro.

(Or I keep the money and I do not buy the candy,

Or I buy the camdy and I spent the money.)

Ou isto ou aquilo: ou isto ou aquilo...

e vivo escolhendo o dia inteiro!

(Or this or that: or this or that...

And I live by choosing all day!)

Não sei se brinco, não sei se estudo,

se saio correndo ou fico tranquilo.

(I don’t know if I play, I don’t know if I study,

If I run or stay quiet.)

Mas não consegui entender ainda

qual é melhor: se é isto ou aquilo.

(But, I still don’t understand yet,

Which is better: this or that.)

What do you think? I just love the poesies by Cecília Meireles and if you want see more writes by her, visit the site Jornal de Poesia.

The site is in Portuguese, but that is good if you want training and in any case we always have the Google translate! ; )

Bye! Until the next time, o/

Jornal de Poesia

Wikepédia