PONTA DELGADA
To Urbano Bettencourt
The wind brought me to these shores:
the very ones where Atlas stood
if in this life a real life exists
then it is here
while I traveled the world
I did not know
that in life each of us creates our own life;
now I realize
that by setting foot on these shores,
the very ones where Atlas stood,
I created my life
“Ponta Delgada” translated into English by Katharine F. Baker
REPETITION
every poem
as yet unwritten
has already been written once:
with an admirable obstinacy
we do nothing but write
someone else’s old poems
I repeat myself as well
this flesh of mine I already brought with me from the past
when I was my father
this song I already sang once
when I was my mother
and this butterfly I already held once
on my hand
when I was my son
and even Christ himself
I let be crucified once
when I was his God
only until now
I never loved you
“Repetição” translated by Katherine Baker and Dr. Bobby J. Chamberlain.
Biographical sketch of Leons Briedis translated into English by Katharine F. Baker. Poet Leons Briedis, born in 1949 in Latvia’s Madona region, lives in Riga. He is a translator, editor, and composer of several popular song melodies. Since 1992 he has headed Minerva publishing house, and edits the philosophy journal Kentaurus. He has translated and published Portuguese authors, in particular Azoreans. He is currently developing a literary project, the publication of an anthology of Brazilian poetry from Santa Catarina, in collaboration of Semy Braga.
Poemas Inéditos de Leons Briedis / Tradução de Urbano Bettencourt – 19 Jan 2011
Unpublished Poems of Leons Briedis / Translated into Portuguese by Urbano Bettencourt( http://ww1.rtp.pt/icmblogs/rtp/comunidades/index.php?k=Poemas-Ineditos-de-Leons-BriedisTraducao-deUrbano Bettencourt.rtp&post=30190)
