Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Camilo Pessanha

Weep, O Wildly

Weep, O Wildly
Arching bows
Sweeping the cello!
Winged bridges
of nightmares…

The broad white arches
Swiftly flutter…
Passing beneath them,
Boats on the river
Break into pieces.

They keen and wail     
In streams of tears…
What ruin, listen!       
Swooping deeply—
What churning sorrow!

Leaden stars…
Watery solitudes...   
Rudders and masts...
And the balustrades
Made of alabaster!      

Shattered urns…
Thick floes of ice…        
Weep, O tattered
Bows, in wild sweeps     
Across the cello!  

Weep, O Wildly

Chorai arcadas
Do violoncelo!
Convulsionadas,
Pontes aladas
De pesadelo...

De que esvoaçam,
Brancos, os arcos…
Por baixo passam,
Se despedaçam,
No rio, os barcos.

Fundas, soluçam,
Caudais de choro…  
Que ruínas, (ouçam)!
Se se debruçam,
Que sorvedouro!…

Trémulos astros...
Soidões lacustres...
— Lemes e mastros...
E os alabastros
Dos balaústres!

Urnas quebradas!
Blocos de gelo...
— Chorai arcadas,
Despedaçadas
Do violoncelo.

Close

Weep, O Wildly

Weep, O Wildly
Arching bows
Sweeping the cello!
Winged bridges
of nightmares…

The broad white arches
Swiftly flutter…
Passing beneath them,
Boats on the river
Break into pieces.

They keen and wail     
In streams of tears…
What ruin, listen!       
Swooping deeply—
What churning sorrow!

Leaden stars…
Watery solitudes...   
Rudders and masts...
And the balustrades
Made of alabaster!      

Shattered urns…
Thick floes of ice…        
Weep, O tattered
Bows, in wild sweeps     
Across the cello!  

Weep, O Wildly

Weep, O Wildly
Arching bows
Sweeping the cello!
Winged bridges
of nightmares…

The broad white arches
Swiftly flutter…
Passing beneath them,
Boats on the river
Break into pieces.

They keen and wail     
In streams of tears…
What ruin, listen!       
Swooping deeply—
What churning sorrow!

Leaden stars…
Watery solitudes...   
Rudders and masts...
And the balustrades
Made of alabaster!      

Shattered urns…
Thick floes of ice…        
Weep, O tattered
Bows, in wild sweeps     
Across the cello!  
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère