Selected Poetry, 1937–1990

Cemiterio pernambucano (Sao Lourenc,o da Mata)

Cemiterio pernambucano (Sao Lourenc,o da Mata) E cemiterio marinho mas marinho de outro mar. Foi aberto para os mortos que afoga o canavial. As covas no chao parecem as ondas de qualquer mar, mesmo as de cana, la fora, lambendo os muros de cal. Pois que os carneiros de terra parecem ondas de mar, nao levam nomes: uma onda onde se viu batizar? Tambem marinho: porque as caidas cruzes que ha sao menos cruzes que mastros quando a meio naufragar. 70 Cemiterio pernambucano (Sao Lourenc;o da Mata) Ecemiterio marinho mas marinho de outro mar. Foi aberto para os mortos que afoga 0 canavial. As covas no chao parecem as ondas de qualquer mar, mesmo as de cana, Ii fora, lambendo os muros de cal. Pois que os carneiros de terra parecem ondas de mar, nao levam nomes: uma onda onde se viu batizar? Tambem marinho: porque as caidas cruzes que hi sao menos cruzes que mastros quando a meio naufragar. 7° Cemetery in Pernambuco (St. Lawrence of the Woods) This is a marine cemetery but marine of some other sea. It was opened for the dead drowned by the canefield. The hollows in the dirt seem the waves of any sea— even waves of sugarcane lapping, those whitewashed walls out there. Because the graves of earth seem waves of sea they have no names: where was a wave ever christened? Marine also: because the fallen crosses you see are less crosses than masts already half shipwrecked. Translated by Jane Cooper 71 Cemetery in Pernambuco (St. Lawrence of the Woods) This is a marine cemetery but marine of some other sea. It was opened for the dead drowned by the canefield. The hollows in the dirt seem the waves of any seaeven waves of sugarcane lapping, those whitewashed walls out there. Because the graves of earth seem waves of sea they have no names: where was a wave ever christened? Marine also: because the fallen crosses you see are less crosses than masts already half shipwrecked. Translated by Jane Cooper 71 ...