Tomb of Luis de Camoes. Photograph (c) Brian Snelson. Flickr.
Luis de Camoes is the national poet of Portugal. Today a new anniversary of his death en Lisbon en 1580, where he lived too. His best known poetic work is The Lusiads, but he also wrote three theatrical comedies. With a very intense life between court, jail and travel, at the end of his days he lived in poverty and sick. In his memory I highlight these 4 poems.
Louis de Camoes
It is believed that he was born in Lisbon in 1524 and that he studied at the University of Coimbra He moved to Lisbon in 1542, where he frequented the king's court John iii, where he made his poetic genius known. But he had to go into exile due to an affair.
In 1547 he began his military career and in 1550 he returned to Lisbon, where he again had problems and was imprisoned for a Street fight. After leaving three years later, he left India, survived a shipwreck and returned to Lisbon in 1570.
The main theme of his poetry is conflict between passionate and sensual love and the Neoplatonic ideal of spiritual love. On The Lusiads, his most famous work, extolled the exploits of the sons of Lusus, the Portuguese, but it also reflected bitterness over the cruelest aspects of Portuguese colonialism. That same pessimistic tone remains in its lyrical. He was also the author of three comedies: Host, King Seleucus y Philodemus.
4 poems
I want to go, mother
I want to go, mother,
to that galley,
with the sailor
to be a sailor.
Mother, if I go,
whatever I want,
I don't want it
that Love wants it.
That fierce child
makes me die
by a sailor
to be a sailor.
He, who can do anything,
mother, you will not,
Well the soul goes
let the body stay.
With him, for whom I die
I'm going, because I don't die:
that if he is a sailor,
I'll be a sailor
It is tyrannical law
of the boy sir
that for a love
a king is discarded.
Well this way
I want to go, I want,
by a sailor
to be a sailor.
Say waves, when
did you dress maiden,
being tender and beautiful,
go browsing?
But what is not expected
da that fierce child?
See who I want:
be seafaring.
***
Eyes, you have hurt me
Eyes, you have hurt me,
finish killing me;
more, dead, look at me again,
because you resurrect me.
Well, you gave me such a wound
wanting to kill me,
dying is sweet luck to me,
Well, by dying you give me life.
Eyes, what are you stopping?
Finish killing me now;
more, dead, look at me again,
because you resurrect me.
The sore, right, is already mine,
although, eyes, you do not want;
but if you give me death,
dying is joy to me.
And so I say finish,
oh eyes, already to kill me;
more, dead, look at me again,
because you resurrect me.
***
Seeing your beauty, oh my love
Seeing your beauty, oh my love,
from my eyes most sweet sustenance,
so high is my thought
I already know heaven in your spirit.
And so much of the land I stray
that I estimate nothing in your compliance,
and absorbed in contemplating your wonder
I am silent, my good, and I am delirious.
Looking at us, Lady, I get confused,
for everyone who contemplates your spell
say can not your beautiful graces.
Because the world sees so much beauty in you
that it does not surprise him to see that who made you
He is the author of the sky and the stars.
***
Times and wills change
Times and wills change;
Being changes, trust changes;
the world is made up of moving
always taking new qualities.
We continually look at news
different in everything to hope;
from evil remains the penalty in the membership;
and of the good, if there were any, the saudades.
The time turns to cover with a green cloak
the valley where the snow gleamed:
the same song becomes crying in me.
And, except for this change of each day,
moving, there is another one of greater fright:
that he doesn't move anymore like he used to.