Fernando Pessoa Co Selected Poems: A Window into Lisbon's Enigmatic Heart

Fernando Pessoa's Co Selected Poems is a profound and mesmerizing collection that transports readers to the heart of Lisbon, capturing its essence with an intensity that is both captivating and unsettling. Through his evocative language and lyrical imagery, Pessoa unravels the city's enigmatic soul, revealing a tapestry of allure and desolation.

Lisbon: A City of Dreams and Disillusionment

Fernando Pessoa & Co.: Selected Poems

by Richard Zenith

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2489 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	313 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported

FREE

In "Lisbon Revisited," the poet's pen glides over the city's dilapidated facades, capturing its haunting aura: "Lisbon has a pale face, / As if it were an old Moorish queen..." Pessoa's words evoke a bygone era of grandeur, now replaced by an air of neglect and decay. The city's faded glory is further emphasized in "The Guard," where the poet depicts a statue in the city's Alfama district, standing as a silent witness to the passage of time and the fading of dreams.

A Symphony of Voices

One of the most striking features of Co Selected Poems is Pessoa's intricate use of multiple voices. The poems are not narrated by a single unified speaker but rather by a chorus of distinct voices, each with its own unique perspective and emotional resonance.

There is Alberto Caeiro, the simple and nature-loving poet; Ricardo Reis, the stoic and melancholic classicist; and Alvaro de Campos, the modern and cosmopolitan engineer. Through these different voices, Pessoa explores the multifaceted nature of Lisbon and the human experience within its embrace.

Caeiro's verses capture the raw beauty of Lisbon's surroundings, finding solace in the elemental rhythms of nature: "I have neither God nor philosophy / I have only the senses and the landscape..." Reis, on the other hand, reflects on the transience of life and the inevitability of loss: "Everything passes, everything falls, / And soon I too shall pass and fall..." Campos, the most urban and introspective of the voices, conveys the alienation and existential angst of modern life: "I am a stranger in the city where I was born / I am alone in the midst of the crowd..."

Melancholy and Hope

In "Ode to the Tagus," Pessoa pays homage to the river that flows through Lisbon, symbolizing both the city's grandeur and its capacity for sadness: "O Tagus, you flow, / And your waters are like Time / That flows and never stops..." The river's ceaseless motion mirrors the cyclical nature of life and the ever-changing face of Lisbon.

Despite the pervasive melancholy, there are moments of hope and redemption in Pessoa's poetry. In "I Believe in the Sun," he writes: "I believe in the sun, even when it is night... / I believe in the love that I do not see..." These lines offer a glimpse of resilience and the enduring power of the human spirit.

A Poetic Legacy

Fernando Pessoa Co Selected Poems is not merely a collection of poems but a profound meditation on the human condition, exploring themes of identity, alienation, and the search for meaning. Through his evocative language and masterful use of multiple voices, Pessoa creates a rich and complex vision of Lisbon that both compels and disturbs.

Pessoa's work has had a profound influence on Portuguese and world literature, solidifying his status as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. Co Selected Poems is an essential to his genius and a testament to the enduring power of poetry to capture the enigmatic essence of a city and the human experience within it.

Fernando Pessoa & Co.: Selected Poems

by Richard Zenith

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2489 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	313 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported

FREE