Pernambuco

Numa luz

Outra fenda

Lâmina entreaberta

Da porta semi-deserta

Dos meus olhos

Cruz da estrada

Fincando sob o Sol

O entreposto da poeira

Num céu anil

Nuvens de abril

Dia de feira

De baixo farol

Sertão, rincão

Áridos dias de açafrão

Pouca relva

Nula selva

Chão, muito chão

Um moço sertanejo suando o ano inteiro

Mato de pinga seca

Dourando o charque da estação

Pedras e pão

Maravilha

No alcance último, a igreja

Estátuas dão as boas vindas

O surrurrar da reza

Que se preza, em latim

Ai de mim! Só sei pecando...

Não importa

Aqui isso é letra morta

A Fé é Quem traz fim

Numa luz

Outra fenda

Jesus

Com sua contenda

Abraça meu corpo

Num encontro perfumado

Encantado de mirra

Espirra insenso, intenso

Gosto de alcatrão

Do fumo velho

Seu Hélio constroi

Papelotes no ar

Seco

Da espraiada paisagem nordestina

OPEN EYES

(to Javad Khakbaz)

In all existence

The eminence of breathed run

Despite apparent distance

Your soul tributes all the fun

Of life itself, yourself awake

Such infinite price

Shall never take or have forsaken

If life’s comprise

Must not deny

And tremble not

You live with open eyes

Beneath the skies

Above the plot

These many years

Of implacable growth

Along the tears

And laugh of joy

Solemn oath

A happy boy

We came to meet

Nice and neat

Forgetting almost

And for the most

The age such men employ

Giving grace and thanks

To those who dance

The free and merry few

I know you knew

That in all times

The best of rhymes

Was simply to keep your spot

For you are one who lives with open eyes

Beneath the skies

Above the plot

To submit and recall

Must you not have it all

Not at once, not in one day

For life has much to play

In its vivid yet occult sense

Your smile, a glance

May be our pay

While we pray

For renewed essence

Let it be said

Every token and bread

That you have gain on though

Are fund of you

As one may see

For what honey produces a bee

If not in sweet and sour shed

The ears you fed

The gentle words

May them be heard

When wished and wanted

Thus fear to all has haunted

Infortune those that recognize it not

But with all that

You stared the bat

And live with open eyes

Beneath the skies

Above the plot