Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Carlos de Oliveira

Map

I

The poet
[the cartographer?]
gazes
at his
calligraphic islands
surrounded
by a tideless
sea,
an archipelago
bereft of
wind,
fauna, flora,
and the misty breath
of foam,


II

thinking
that
perhaps some
straying bird
will bring
to the solitude
of the map,
to the empty reefs,
a quiver,
a flight,
if it is possible
to fly
over such
aridity.

Mapa

Mapa

I

O poeta
[o cartógrafo?]
observa
as suas
ilhas caligráficas
cercadas
por um mar
sem marés,
arquipélago
a que falta
vento,
fauna, flora,
e o hálito húmido
da espuma,


II

pensando
que talvez alguma ave errante
traga
à solidão
do mapa,
aos recifes desertos,
um frémito,
um voo,
se for possível
voar
sobre tanta
aridez.
Close

Map

I

The poet
[the cartographer?]
gazes
at his
calligraphic islands
surrounded
by a tideless
sea,
an archipelago
bereft of
wind,
fauna, flora,
and the misty breath
of foam,


II

thinking
that
perhaps some
straying bird
will bring
to the solitude
of the map,
to the empty reefs,
a quiver,
a flight,
if it is possible
to fly
over such
aridity.

Map

I

The poet
[the cartographer?]
gazes
at his
calligraphic islands
surrounded
by a tideless
sea,
an archipelago
bereft of
wind,
fauna, flora,
and the misty breath
of foam,


II

thinking
that
perhaps some
straying bird
will bring
to the solitude
of the map,
to the empty reefs,
a quiver,
a flight,
if it is possible
to fly
over such
aridity.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère