On October 31 Brazilians celebrate Carlos Drummond de Andrade’s birthday. Drummond was one of the greatest Brazilian poets. Many consider him the most influential Brazilian poet of the 20th century.
His birthday is celebrated in Brazil as Dia D – Dia Drummond. Dia D is a play on a colloquial expression that I will explain below. I will also share with you one of my very favorite Drummond’s poem. You might know the song it was made into. And I will give you a link to find some of Drummond’s poems translated from Portuguese into English.
E Agora, José?
I cannot say how much this poem moves me. I hope you enjoy the video below with Brazilian singer Paulo Diniz singing the poem. You will find the poem and its translation from Portuguese into English below.
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_4NS50okUc]| E agora, José? | Tradução |
|
E agora, José? |
What now, José? The party’s over, the lights are off, the crowd’s gone, the night’s gone cold, what now, José? what now, you? |
|
Você que é sem nome, |
You without a name, who mocks the others, you who write poetry who love, protest? what now, José? |
| Está sem mulher, está sem discurso, está sem carinho, já não pode beber, já não pode fumar, cuspir já não pode, a noite esfriou, o dia não veio, o bonde não veio, o riso não veio, não veio a utopia e tudo acabou e tudo fugiu e tudo mofou, e agora, José? |
You have no wife, you have no speech you have no affection, you can’t drink, you can’t smoke, you can’t even spit, the night’s gone cold, the day didn’t come, the tram didn’t come, laughter didn’t come utopia didn’t come and everything ended and everything fled and everything rotted what now, José? |
| E agora, José? sua doce palavra, seu instante de febre, sua gula e jejum, sua biblioteca, sua lavra de ouro, seu terno de vidro, sua incoerência, seu ódio, – e agora? |
What now, José? Your sweet words, your instance of fever, your feasting and fasting, your library, your gold mine, your glass suit, your incoherence, your hate – what now? |
| Com a chave na mão quer abrir a porta, não existe porta; quer morrer no mar, mas o mar secou; quer ir para Minas, Minas não há mais. |
Key in hand you want to open the door, but no door exists; you want to die in the sea, but the sea has dried; you want to go to Minas but Minas is no longer there. |
|
José, e agora? |
José, what now? |
| Se você gritasse, se você gemesse, se você tocasse, a valsa vienense, se você dormisse, se você consasse, se você morresse…. Mas você não morre, você é duro, José! |
If you screamed, if you moaned, if you played a Viennese waltz, if you slept, if you tired, if you died… But you don’t die, you’re stubborn, José! |
| Sozinho no escuro qual bicho-do-mato, sem teogonia, sem parede nua para se encostar, sem cavalo preto que fuja do galope, você marcha, José! |
Alone in the dark like a wild animal, without tradition, without a naked wall to lean against, without a black horse that flees galloping, you march, José!
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| José, para onde? | José, where to? |
I got the translation from PoemHunter.com, where you will find additional Drummond’s poems translated from Portuguese into English.
Canção Amiga
Drummond was from the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. His poem Canção Amiga was once printed in the $50 cruzados bill. We no longer have that currency. Canção Amiga was also turned into a song. See the lyrics and Milton Nascimento’s interpretation of Canção Amiga below.
Canção Amiga
Eu preparo uma canção
em que minha mãe se reconheça,
todas as mães se reconheçam,
e que fale como dois olhos.
Caminho por uma rua
que passa em muitos países.
Se não me vêem, eu vejo
e saúdo velhos amigos.
Eu distribuo um segredo
como quem ama ou sorri.
No jeito mais natural
dois carinhos se procuram.
Minha vida, nossas vidas
formam um só diamante.
Aprendi novas palavras
e tornei outras mais belas.
Eu preparo uma canção
que faça acordar os homens
e adormecer as crianças.
What does the expression Dia D mean in Portuguese?
Dia D is the day when an important event is scheduled to happen. This was a war expression. Dia D was the day an attack was planned to happen. In English you know it as D-Day. The most famous Dia D was June 6 1944, when the allied troops invaded northern France.
Today in Brazil we use it for important moments in our lives. For example:
1)
Ana: Amanhã é o Dia D: vou fazer a entrevista para aquele trabalho que eu tanto quero.
Ana: Tomorrow is D-Day: I will interview for that job that I so want.
2)
Carol: Passamos tanto tempo planejando nossa viagem, mas no Dia D Paulo ficou doente e não pudemos ir.
Carol: We spent so much time planning our trip, but on D-Day Paulo got sick and we couldn’t go.
Other Articles You Might Like
Translated Lyrics: Samba Desenredo, by Meia Dúzia de 3 ou 4
Learn Colloquial Portuguese: À Francesa – The French Way
Learn Brazilian Portuguese with Songs – Apesar de Você
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