Henriqueta Lisboa

Henriqueta Lisboa (1901–1985) was a Brazilian writer. She was awarded the Prêmio Machado de Assis for her lifetime achievement by the Brazilian Academy of Letters. She is famous for her wellchosen words to create powerful poems. Her early lyrics deal with traditional poetic themes, while her later poems like Echo, she mysteriously magnifies the effect of a single image. Several of her poems were translated into other languages: English, French, Spanish, Latin and German. Some of them below:

The echo – translated by Blanca Lobo Filho

A green parrot
let out a shrill scream.
Rock in sudden
anger, replied

In the woods there rose
a great riot.
Thousands of parrots
shouted the shoutes
the rock repeated.

From one side to another
bombarding the space
the shrieks came down
came down like steel.

Very sharp shouts!

But no one died.

wah.

Ein Dichter war im Krieg – translated by Blanca Lobo Filho

Ein Dichter war im Krieg
Tag für Tag, für lange Jahre,

Nahm teil am Chaos,
am Betrug, am Hunger.

Ein Dichter war im Krieg.
Im Schnee und unter Kugeln
begegnete er Welten und Menschem
Menschen die töteten und Menschen
die bloss starben.

Ein Dichter war im Krieg
wie jeder andere, tötend.
Um den Krieg zu beschreiben,
konnte er nur weinen.

Palmier des plages – translated by Véra Conradt

Palmier des plages
secouant les branches
en gestes gracieux,
nerveux palmier,
nerveux, gracieux,
cachant la face
em vertes rougeurs
au vent qui passe.

Palmier des plages,
corps mince et svelte,
fouillant au loin
d’un oeil aigu,
montrant entre les doigts
des bouts de ciel,
agitant maints fichus
en blancs adieux.

Palmier entre nuages
qui jamais n’abandonnes
cet air exquis
d’attente et de renoncement.

Je connais fort bien,
ô palmier des plages,
ton bon goût et ton instinct
d’amoureux et de chaste.

Bibliography

• Fogo fátuo, poetry, 1925
• Enternecimento, poetry, 1929
• Velório, poetry, 1936
• Prisioneira da noite, poetry, 1941
• O menino poeta, poetry, 1943 (first edition)
• O menino poeta, poetry, 1975 (special edition)
• O menino poeta, poetry, 1984
• A face lívida, poetry, 1945
• Flor da morte, poetry, 1949
• Almas femininas da América do Sul, essay, 1928
• Alphonsus de Guimaraens, essay, 1945
• A poesia de Ungaretti, essay, 1957
• A poesia de "Grande sertão: veredas", essay, 1958
• Reflexões sobre a história: discurso, essay, 1959
• Antologia poética para a infância e a juventude, compilation, 1961
• Antologia poética para a infância e a juventude, compilation, 1966
• Literatura oral para a infância e a juventude. Lendas, contos e fábulas populares no Brasil, compilation, 1968
• Contos de Dante, translation, 1969
• Poemas escolhidos de Gabriela Mistral, translation, 1969
• Henriqueta Lisboa: poesia traduzida, translation, 2001