Soneto da Separação

from Joe H - Friday, February 28, 2003
accessed 1367 times

This is by Vinicius de Moraes, the father of bossa nova (IMO) and one of the greatest Brazillan poets of all time. He wrote this on the Atlantic Ocean on his way to England. My translation pales in comparison to the original, but it's there for those of who you don't understand Portuguese.

De repente do riso fez-se o pranto
Silêncioso e branco como a bruma
E das bocas unidas fez-se a espuma
E das mãos espalmadas fez-se o espanto

De repente da calma fez-se o vento
Que dos olhos desfez a última chama
E da paixão fez-se o pressentimento
E do momento imóvel fez-se o drama

De repente, não mais que de repente
Fez-se de triste o que se fez amante
E de sozinho o que se fez contente

Fez-se do amigo próximo o distante
Fez-se da vida uma aventura errante
De repente, não mais que de repente.


Translation:

Suddenly calm became wind
Silent and white like the fog
And mouths united turned to foam on the sea
And our joined hands turned to fear

Suddenly the calm became a storm
That took the last flame from our eyes
And passion turned to worry
And the immovable moment became a catastrophe

Sudddenly, so suddenly
Lovers became sad
And those who were happy became lonely

And close friends grew distant
And life became a misguided adventure
Suddenly, so suddenly