OneyearagotoowellIknew
Dissimilarity
BetweenmyfoolishLoveandyou.
—Whatcharity
Fromyou,orLove,madeupmyLove’sdisparity?
IntoyourimagenowmyLovehasgrown,
Yoursize,
Andeveneveryfeaturelike.Iown
Surprise
Tomeet,whenImeetyou—orLove—youreyes.
Nordoesaneyelashdiffer;norahair
But’sshapedexactly
ToyouIlove,andwarnsmetobeware
Mydubioussecurity,
—Sureofmylove,andLove;uncertainofidentity.
ButpoorLove’simitation’smadehimmute
Inhisperfection.
Announcedtoyou,uponyourmostminute
Inspection
You’dthinkbutthatyoumetyourownreflection.
SuchcuriousLove,inconstantinnocence,
Thoughillatease,
Admits,betweenyouandhimself,nodifference
Andnodegrees…
IsometimespridemeonLove’slimitations,theybeingthese.
III
Loveisfeatheredlikeabird
Tokeephimwarm,
Tokeephimsafefromharm,
Andbywhatwindsordraftshisnestisstirred
TheychillnotLove.
Warmliveshe:
Nowarmthgivesoff,
Ornonetome.
Clawshehaslikeanyhawk
Toclutchandkeep,
Toclutchsohemaysleep
Whileroundtheredheart’sperchhisclawscanlock
AndfastenLove.
Hisholdhe’llnotresign,
Norfromtheheartfalloff,
Ornotfrommine.
AtnightsthegrackleLovewillstart
Toshriekandshrill,
Norwillheoncebestill
Tillhehaswideawakethebackwardheart.
SoselfishLove,
Gohush;
Feathersandclawstakeoff
Orseeksomebush.
1934
TheReprimand
Ifyoutastetearstoooften,inquisitivetongue,
You’llfindthey’vesomethingyou’dnotreckonedon;
Creptchildishouttotoucheye’sownphenomenon,
Return,intoyourelement.Tearsbelong
Toonlyeyes;theirdeepestsorrowtheywrung
Fromwater.Whereweptwater’sgone
Thatresidueissorrow,saltandwan,
Yourbitterenemy,wholeavesthefacewhite-strung.
Tears,taster,haveadignityindisplay,
Carryanantidotalgiftfordrying.
Unsuitedtoasavoringbytheway,
Saltpuckerstear-dropsup,endscrying.
Ohcurious,crackedandchapped,nowwillyousay,
Tongue,“Grief’snotmine”andbendyourselftosighing?
1935
TheMountain
Atevening,somethingbehindme.
Istartforasecond,Iblench,
orstaggeringlyhaltandburn.
Idonotknowmyage.
Inthemorningitisdifferent.
Anopenbookconfrontsme,
tooclosetoreadincomfort.
TellmehowoldIam.
Andthenthevalleysstuff
impenetrablemists
likecottoninmyears.
Idonotknowmyage.
Idonotmeantocomplain.
Theysayitismyfault.
Nobodytellsmeanything.
TellmehowoldIam.
Thedeepestdemarcations
canslowlyspreadandfade
likeanybluetattoo.
Idonotknowmyage.
Shadowsfalldown,lightsclimb.
Clamberinglights,ohchildren!
youneverstaylongenough.
TellmehowoldIam.
Stonewingshavesiftedhere
withfeatherhardeningfeather.
Theclawsarelostsomewhere.
Idonotknowmyage.
Iamgrowingdeaf.Thebirdcalls
dwindle.Thewaterfalls
gounwiped.Whatismyage?
TellmehowoldIam.
Letthemoongohang,
thestarsgoflytheirkites.
Iwanttoknowmyage.
TellmehowoldIam.
1952
TheWit
“Wait.Letmethinkaminute,”yousaid.
Andintheminutewesaw:
EveandNewtonwithanappleapiece,
andMoseswiththeLaw,
Socrates,whoscratchedhiscurlyhead,
andmanymorefromGreece,
allcominghurryinguptonow,
bidbyyourcrinkledbrow.
Butthenyoumadeabrilliantpun.
Wegaveathunderclapoflaughter.
Flustered,yourhelpersvanishedonebyone;
andthroughtheconversationalspaces,after,
wecaught,—back,back,far,far,—
theglintingbirthdayofafractiousstar.
1956
ExchangingHats
Unfunnyuncleswhoinsist
intryingonalady’shat,
—oh,evenifthejokefallsflat,
weshareyourslighttransvestitetwist
inspiteofourembarrassment.
Costumeandcustomarecomplex.
Theheadgearoftheothersex
inspiresustoexperiment.
Anandrousaunts,who,atthebeach
withpaperplatesuponyourlaps,
keepputtingontheyachtsmen’scaps
withexhibitionisticscreech,
thevisorshangingo’ertheear
sothatthegoldenanchorsdrag,
—thetidesoffashionneverlag.
Suchcapsmaynotbewornnextyear.
Oryouwhodonthepaperplate
itself,andputsomegrapesuponit,
orsporttheIndian’sfeatherbonnet,
—perversitiesmayaggravate
thenaturalmadnessofthehatter.
Andiftheoperahatscollapse
andcrownsgrowdraughty,then,perhaps,
hethinkswhatmightamitermatter?
Unfunnyuncle,youwhoworea
hattoobig,oronetoomany,
tellus,can’tyou,arethereany
starsinsideyourblackfedora?
Auntexemplaryandslim,
withavernaleyes,wewonder
whatslowchangestheyseeunder
theirvast,shady,turned-downbrim.
1956
ANorther—KeyWest
Likelittleblackbirdsinthestreet
thelittleNegroeslifttheirfeet,
thesidewalksfreeze;
thetinroofsalllookfrozen,too,
theflowersblackened,andhowblue
thebigpalmtrees!
Whilesteadilythenortherchurns
thepale-greenseauntilitturns
tolimemilksherbet,
andcarefulmotherMizpahOates
bringsouttheancientwintercoats
forHannibalandHerbert,
oncewornbyanimmensewhitechild.
Shedriveshergentlechildrenwild
byherobtuseness.
Hannibalweeps.Oh,tragedy!
Thewaisthangsalmosttohisknee!
Oh,worldliness!
1962
Thank-YouNote
[inthe“HarvardAdvocate”]
Mr.Berryman’ssongsandsonnetssay:
“Gatheryeberriesharshandcrudewhileyetyemay.”
Eveniftheypuckerourmouthslikechoke-cherries,
Letusbegratefulforthesethick-bunchedberries.
1969
UNCOLLECTEDTRANSLATIONS
(1950–1975)
Rainbow
( MaxJacob)
Itwasthehourwhennightmakesthemountainslament
Andthecragscreakunderthefootstepsofanimals,
Thebirdsflewawayfromthecountrysidelikepoison
Togettothesea,togettoabetterhorizon.
Pursuingapoetthenthedevilwent.
Thepoetstaredattheseaasifheweredead,
Fortheretheseapowderedtheedgeofabay
Andcoveredtheskinofthegiantrockswithscales.
ButJesus,withfireshiningbehindhishead,
Cametoclimbuptheblackcrags,bearingthecross.
ThepoetstretchedouthisarmstowardstheSavior
Andeverythingvanished:thesombernightandthebeasts.
ThepoetfollowedGodforhishappiness.
1950
PatienceofanAngel
( MaxJacob)
Youcanbeatme,beatme!beatme,saidthedemonwhostoodnearthestoup
ofholywater,butyoucannotdestroyme.IamtherebelangelbutIamanangel andmyfacethatyousooftenmarbearsatleastthetraceofonevirtue:patience.
Youcanbeatme!beatme!Mytimewillcome.
1950
Banks
( MaxJacob)
Icomplainliketheflute,
Alwaysthesametune
Norestsinthewater-cress
Thetoadsounding“do”
Wouldpreferthebassoon.
Elveswhoseforcesbeguile
MustI,formypart,
Gotobedallmylife
DreamingofgreaterArt?
Somanystopsandlooks
Butneveranylistens
Forapoormanwhotraps
Asnowstormthatglistens.
1950
HellIsGraduated
( MaxJacob)
WhenIwasemployedatCooperativeFashions,inspiteofthedark,uglyold maid,Itriedtostealsomegarters.Iwaspursueddownthesuperbstaircases,not for the theft, but for my laziness at work and for my hatred of the innocent finery.Descend,youarepursued.Thestaircasesarelessbeautifulintheoffices than in the part open to the public. The staircases are less beautiful in the
“service”quartersthanintheoffices.Thestaircasesarestilllessbeautifulinthe cellar!ButwhatcanIsayofthemarshwhereIarrived?WhatcanIsayofthe laughter?Oftheanimalsthatbrushedbyme,andofthewhisperingsofunseen creatures?Watergaveplacetofire,tofear,tounconsciousness;whenIcameto myselfIwasinthehandsofsilentandnamelesssurgeons.
1950
MyLastPoem
( ManuelBandeira)
Iwouldlikemylastpoemthus
Thatitbegentlesayingthesimplestandleastintendedthings
Thatitbeardentlikeatearlesssob
Thatithavethebeautyofalmostscentlessflowers
Thepurityoftheflameinwhichthemostlimpiddiamondsareconsumed
Thepassionofsuicideswhokillthemselveswithoutexplanation.
1972
BrazilianTragedy
( ManuelBandeira)
Misael,civilservantintheMinistryofLabor,63yearsold,
Knew Maria Elvira of the Grotto: prostitute, syphilitic, with ulcerated fingers,apawnedweddingringandteethinthelaststagesofdecay.
Misael took Maria out of “the life,” installed her in a two-storey house in JunctionCity,paidforthedoctor,dentist,manicurist.…Hegavehereverything shewanted.
WhenMariaElviradiscoveredshehadaprettymouth,sheimmediatelytook
aboy-friend.
Misaeldidn’twantascandal.Hecouldhavebeatenher,shother,orstabbed her.Hedidnoneofthese:theymoved.
Theylivedlikethatforthreeyears.
EachtimeMariaElviratookanewboy-friend,theymoved.
The lovers lived in Junction City. Boulder. On General Pedra Street, The Sties.TheBrickyards.Glendale.PayDirt.OnMarquêsdeSapucaíStreetinVilla Isabel. Niterói. Euphoria. In Junction City again, on Clapp Street. All Saints.
Carousel.Edgewood.TheMines.SoldiersHome…
Finally, in Constitution Street, where Misael, bereft of sense and reason, killedherwithsixshots,andthepolicefoundherstretchedout,supine,dressed inblueorgandy.
1972
CemeteryofChildhood
( JoaquimCardozo)
[Children’sWeek,1953]
InthecemeteryofChildhood
ItwasmorningwhenIentered,
Theflowerswereinbloom,
SomanyIwasdazzled…
Itwasmorning,brightwithdew,
WhenIreachedmyowncountry,
OfthesmilingfacesIsaw
I’llrememberveryfew.
Fromwidedistances
Myhorsetravelledswiftly,
Throughnight,acrossthenight,
Searchingbyafter-glow;
AndIheard,ominous,
Aremote,forgottenvoice…
Andtheroosterscrowandcrow
—Sunrisesunflowers.
Frombehindthosemountains,
Throughtheleaguesofsummer,
Howmanyrepeatedsteps
Trackingthesameground;
Andalongtheroadsides:
Rosary,cross,andheart…
Womenprayingtears,
Theirhandstellingthedrops.
Herethewingsoftheangels
Felloff.Homelypaths
Adornthesmallgraves
Withthornsandwhitenettles;
Mystepscamecloser,closer,
Tooclose,stealthily:
Thesoulsflewupfromtheground:
Aflockoflittlebirds.
Oh!thesmallafflictions
Intheheartsoftoys!
Yoursleepingrosebushes
Droptheirleavesinfright…
Yourgriefbringseveningdew,
Sweetnessofearlymorning;
Oh!cemeteryofChildhood,
Revealyoursecretlight.
Flesh,ash,andearth
Feedmortalmysteries;
Children,thenadults:
Thebigfieldsofcane…
Likeaking’sransom
Berriesloadthetrees,
Cattlegrazethelevels
Ofthevastcommonplain.
1971
ElegyforMariaAlves
( JoaqimCardozo)
Ibringyounowtheseflowers
—ModestflowersofanOctobersun—
Flowersfromoldhedgerows,flowersfrombramblebushes,
Verbenasandeverlastings,jasminesandmignonettes;
Colorsoftheskyinfar-offtwilights
Andthetransparencyandlimpidityofafternoons
Whengirlsdreamedinthegazebos
Inancientgardensatthecity’sedge.
ThefruitsthatIplaceontheground,yourground,
Wrappedinthisphilodendronleaf
(Daughters,too,ofasunyoudidnotsee)
Arewildguavas,plumsfromnativehedges,
Surinamcherries,star-apples,queens’hearts;
Theyarered,theyarefragrantandyellow
Asiftheywere…asifstillblossoms…
TheearthsthatIscatter
Overtheearthofyouremptybody
Comefromfaraway:
SandsfromSweetRiverandfromPiety,
Redgrainsfromtheshoresofthesea,
Potters’claysfromthe“RuinsofPalmyra”withtheircolors
OfrainbowshipwreckedonthehillsofOlinda.
Thus,Maria,Ibringyouflowers,fruits,andearths…
Andtokeepthemalwaysfreshandpure,
OverthemIpou
rthesewaters,
Sweetandclear,mildandfriendly:
WaterfromtheSluiceofApipucos,
WaterfromtheFountoftheRosary
—Relicsofancientrains—
Watersweptforme,foryou,forallofus.
1972
Infancy
( CarlosDrummonddeAndrade)
Myfathergotonhishorseandwenttothefield.
Mymotherstayedsittingandsewing.
Mylittlebrotherslept.
Asmallboyaloneunderthemangotrees,
IreadthestoryofRobinsonCrusoe,
thelongstorythatnevercomestoanend.
Atnoon,whitewithlight,avoicethathadlearned
lullabieslongagointheslave-quarters—andneverforgot—
calledusforcoffee.
Coffeeblackerthantheblackoldwoman
deliciouscoffee
goodcoffee.
Mymotherstayedsittingandsewing
watchingme:
Shh—don’twaketheboy.
Shestoppedthecradlewhenamosquitohadlit
andgaveasigh…howdeep!
Awayofftheremyfatherwentriding
throughthefarm’sendlesswastes.
AndIdidn’tknowthatmystory
wasprettierthanthatofRobinsonCrusoe.
1972
IntheMiddleoftheRoad
( CarlosDrummonddeAndrade)
Inthemiddleoftheroadtherewasastone
therewasastoneinthemiddleoftheroad
therewasastone
inthemiddleoftheroadtherewasastone.
NevershouldIforgetthisevent
inthelifeofmyfatiguedretinas.
NevershouldIforgetthatinthemiddleoftheroad
therewasastone
therewasastoneinthemiddleoftheroad
inthemiddleoftheroadtherewasastone.
1972
FamilyPortrait
( CarlosDrummonddeAndrade)
Yes,thisfamilyportrait
isalittledusty.
Thefather’sfacedoesn’tshow
howmuchmoneyheearned.
Theuncles’handsdon’treveal
thevoyagesbothofthemmade.
Thegrandmother’ssmoothedandyellowed;
she’sforgottenthemonarchy.
Thechildren,howthey’vechanged.
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