Cecília Meireles (1901-1964)
One of the most important Portuguese writers of the 20th Century, Cecília Meireles was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1901. She published her first book of poems, Espectros, at the age of 18. Her publications include poetry collections, literary translations, and children's books. Member of the second generation of Brazilian modernism, Meireles’ writing is characterized by “neosymbolist” poetics, focused on existential themes. Her poem “Retrato” comes from her book Viagem published in 1939. In this poem, Meireless appears to question her identity as a woman and human being.
Retrato
Eu não tinha este rosto de hoje,
Assim calmo, assim triste, assim magro,
Nem estes olhos tão vazios,
Nem o lábio amargo.
Eu não tinha estas mãos sem força,
Tão paradas e frias e mortas;
Eu não tinha este coração
Que nem se mostra.
Eu não dei por esta mudança,
Tão simples, tão certa, tão fácil:
- Em que espelho ficou perdida
A minha face?
Poetry and the Realm of the Public Intellectual by ISBN: 9781905981335Publication Date: 2007-12-01This book examines the relationship between poetry and the public sphere as it is addressed in the work of three of the most important Latin American women poets, namely Gabriela Mistral, Cecilia Meireles, and Rosario Castellanos, of the twentieth century.
