Carlos Drummond de Andrade

Clara strolled in the garden with the children.
The sky was green over the grass,
the water was golden under the bridges,
other elements were blue and rose and orange,
...

What now, José?
The party’s over,
the lights are off,
the crowd’s gone,
...

Sweet ghost, why do you visit me
as in other times our bodies visited each other?
Your transparency dampens my skin
...

Carlos, keep calm, love
is what you're seeing now;
today a kiss, tomorrow no kiss,
...

Who had the idea of slicing time into pieces,
which were given the name of year,
was a genius person.
...

João loved Teresa who loved Raimundo
who loved Maria who loved Joaquim
who loved Lili
who loved nobody.
...

In the middle of the road there was a stone
there was a stone in the middle of the road
there was a stone
in the middle of the road there was a stone.
...

I have only two hands
And the sense of the world,
But I am full of slaves,
My memories flow
...

How to wake up without hurt?
Restart without horror?
My sleep carried me
...

I create an elephant
of my scarce resources.
Some pieces of wood
taken of old furniture
...

I spent one hour thinking of a verse
my pen does not want to write.
Yet, it is here inside
restless, alive.
...

I wish I had the courage
To speak of this secret
To tell the world
About this love
...

After Madrid and London, there are still great cities.
The world hasn't ended, for amidst the ruins
...

There comes a time when we no longer say: my God.
A time of absolute purity.
A time when we no longer say: my love.
Because love proved useless.
...

How to remember without suffering?
to recollect without horror?
The sound has transported me
to that kingdom where life does not exist
...

Why does God allow
that mothers go away?
A mother has no limit,
she is time without hour
...

The door of truth was open,
but only let pass
half of a person each time.
Thus, it was impossible to reach the whole truth,
...

The hammock between two mango trees
swayed in the sunken world.
It was hot, windless.
...

When I was born, a crooked angel,
the kind who live in shadows,
said: Go, Carlos! Be gauche in life.
...

The great pain of things that will happen
turned into the most exquisite pleasure
when among a thousand photos that were displayed,
I had the grace and fortune of seeing you.
...