Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Rui Cóias

Finally you say – in what’s obviously a discourse, my friend

Finally you say – in what’s obviously a discourse, my friend,
uttered at the hour of revealing our fears, and perhaps lying,
the hour when I happen to be saying farewell and you can
once more enjoy, on the hill, the vast cold of the approaching end,
not without first remembering how the sun struck the trampled
grass where in groups, under the plane trees, we could feel
in our voices the shiver from Ceira that blew through our hair –
“all we can do is wave farewell, wave always and without regret,
since it’s through what we lose that we let life go on living.”
So why will we dare to lie, gentle friend?
What’s the use of pretending, to those who will follow us,
that our salutations are but a way to compensate our fear?
We will lie, yes, but for different reasons, some that you mentioned,
others born of our loathing to vacillate in another departure.
Like summer under the acrid smell of the first rains,
we grow with changes occurring in our soul, securing
the line we’ve allowed our life to trace.
And in the end, perhaps in this hour when you call me, or in the
vast cold of another year approaching, another hour on top of the hill,
we’ll have – for all we’ve given – our recompense in memory.

Finally you say – in what’s obviously a discourse, my friend

Dizeis afinal – no que é um claro discurso, companheiro,
e chegada a hora de revelar nossos receios, e talvez mentir,
a hora em que acaso de ti me despeço, em que de  
novo fruis, da colina, o largo frio do fim que se aproxima,  
não sem antes lembrares ainda como o sol baqueava na erva
espezinhada, por onde em grupos, sob os plátanos, já
na voz cabia a tremura que vinha de ceira rente aos cabelos –
“que só nos convirá em sorte acenar, acenar sempre, e sem remorso,
pois que é no que perdido foi que fomos deixando que se viva.”
Por que ousaremos então mentir, gentil companheiro?
Valerá o esforço em simular, a nossos pobres seguidores,
que nas saudações mais não estamos do que a compensar o nosso medo?
Mentiremos sim, mas por razões distintas, algumas as referiste,
outras mercê de não nos vermos vacilar numa partida mais.  
Justamente, tal o faz o cheiro acre das primeiras chuvas sobre o verão,
crescemos de alma em alma que em nós passa e cauciona
a linha que da vida fomos consentindo que se faça.
E no fim, que pode ser o desta hora em que me chamas, no
largo frio de outro ano aproximando-se, outra hora no alto da colina,  
cabe-nos, do que prestámos, ser restituídos na lembrança.
Close

Finally you say – in what’s obviously a discourse, my friend

Finally you say – in what’s obviously a discourse, my friend,
uttered at the hour of revealing our fears, and perhaps lying,
the hour when I happen to be saying farewell and you can
once more enjoy, on the hill, the vast cold of the approaching end,
not without first remembering how the sun struck the trampled
grass where in groups, under the plane trees, we could feel
in our voices the shiver from Ceira that blew through our hair –
“all we can do is wave farewell, wave always and without regret,
since it’s through what we lose that we let life go on living.”
So why will we dare to lie, gentle friend?
What’s the use of pretending, to those who will follow us,
that our salutations are but a way to compensate our fear?
We will lie, yes, but for different reasons, some that you mentioned,
others born of our loathing to vacillate in another departure.
Like summer under the acrid smell of the first rains,
we grow with changes occurring in our soul, securing
the line we’ve allowed our life to trace.
And in the end, perhaps in this hour when you call me, or in the
vast cold of another year approaching, another hour on top of the hill,
we’ll have – for all we’ve given – our recompense in memory.

Finally you say – in what’s obviously a discourse, my friend

Finally you say – in what’s obviously a discourse, my friend,
uttered at the hour of revealing our fears, and perhaps lying,
the hour when I happen to be saying farewell and you can
once more enjoy, on the hill, the vast cold of the approaching end,
not without first remembering how the sun struck the trampled
grass where in groups, under the plane trees, we could feel
in our voices the shiver from Ceira that blew through our hair –
“all we can do is wave farewell, wave always and without regret,
since it’s through what we lose that we let life go on living.”
So why will we dare to lie, gentle friend?
What’s the use of pretending, to those who will follow us,
that our salutations are but a way to compensate our fear?
We will lie, yes, but for different reasons, some that you mentioned,
others born of our loathing to vacillate in another departure.
Like summer under the acrid smell of the first rains,
we grow with changes occurring in our soul, securing
the line we’ve allowed our life to trace.
And in the end, perhaps in this hour when you call me, or in the
vast cold of another year approaching, another hour on top of the hill,
we’ll have – for all we’ve given – our recompense in memory.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère