[Comemore o mês do cartão de biblioteca com poesia] E aí, meus caros? What’s up, dear readers? As you may know, Library Card month is celebrated in Setembro (September) as a campaign to motivate people to se inscrever (sign up) and start borrowing some books. To get everyone in the reading spirit, I thought this could be a great opportunity to introduce you to a celebrated Brazilian contemporary author whose poesia (poetry) has earned the admiration of thousands of leitores (readers) nationwide: Ana Martins Marques.

And why choose her of all people? Well, the answer is simple. In 2012, Marques was granted the Prêmio Literário da Fundação Biblioteca Nacional, that is, the National Library literary award, among other accolades. Speaking of which, our National library happens to be a maior (the largest) in Latin America and 7th largest in the world.

Born in Belo Horizonte, in the state of Minas Gerais, Ana Martins Marques has so far publicou (published) seven livros de poesia (poetry books). So if you are curious to ler (read) her work, in addition to practicing your Portuguese reading skills, let’s have a look at her Poemas Reunidos (literally translated as Gathered Poems, which means “selected poems”). Below you can find the original poem in Portuguese, and you can scroll down for my translation in English afterwards. Espero que gostem! Hope you like it!:

POEMAS REUNIDOS

Sempre gostei dos livros

chamados poemas reunidos

pela ideia de festa ou de quermesse

como se os poemas se encontrassem

como parentes distantes

um pouco entediados

em volta de uma mesa

como ex-colegas de colégio

como amigas antigas para jogar cartas

como combatentes

numa arena

galos de briga

cavalos de corrida ou

boxeadores num ringue

como ministros de estado

numa cúpula

ou escolares em excursão

como amantes secretos

num quarto de hotel

às seis da tarde

enquanto sem alegria apagam-se as flores do papel de parede

from O livro das semelhanças

 

 

 

SELECTED POEMS

I have always liked the books

called selected poems 

for its idea of a party or a festival

as if the poems were meeting

as distant relatives

a little bored

around a table

like former schoolmates

like old friends to play cards

like combatants

in an arena

fighting cocks

racehorses or

boxers in a ring

as ministers of state

in a dome

or schoolchildren on a field trip

like secret lovers

in a hotel room

at six in the afternoon

while the flowers on the wallpaper joylessly fade

Gostou? If you are interested in reading more Ana Martins Marques or poems in Portuguese, check out this website.

Have you ever been to a library in Brazil? Which books did you borrow? Let us know in the comment box below! Uma excelente semana a todos!