Brazilian Poetry and Prose

To my Portuguese speaking friends, a little bit of memories....

Soneto de Julio Salusse

OS CISNES

A vida, manso lago azul algumas

vezes, algumas vezes mar fremente,

tem sido para nós constantemente

um lago azul sem ondas, sem espumas.

Sobre ele, quando, desfazendo as brumas

matinais, rompe um sol vermelho e quente,

nós dois vagamos indolentemente,

como dois cisnes de alvacentas plumas.

Um dia um cisne morrerá, por certo.

Quando chegar esse momento incerto,

no lago, onde talvez a água se tisne,

que o cisne vivo, cheio de saudade,

nunca mais cante, nem sozinho nade,

nem nade nunca ao lado de outro cisne.

Partida…de Ruben Braga

“E no meio dessa confusão alguém partiu sem se despedir; foi triste. Se houvesse uma despedida talvez fosse mais triste, talvez tenha sido melhor assim, uma separação como às vezes acontece em um baile de carnaval — uma pessoa se perde da outra, procura-a por um instante e depois adere a qualquer cordão. É melhor para os amantes pensar que a última vez que se encontraram se amaram muito — depois apenas aconteceu que não se encontraram mais. Eles não se despediram, a vida é que os despediu, cada um para seu lado — sem glória nem humilhação.

Creio que será permitido guardar uma leve tristeza, e também uma lembrança boa; que não será proibido confessar que às vezes se tem saudades; nem será odioso dizer que a separação ao mesmo tempo nos traz um inexplicável sentimento de alívio, e de sossego; e um indefinível remorso; e um recôndito despeito.

E que houve momentos perfeitos que passaram, mas não se perderam, porque ficaram em nossa vida; que a lembrança deles nos faz sentir maior a nossa solidão; mas que essa solidão ficou menos infeliz: que importa que uma estrela já esteja morta se ela ainda brilha no fundo de nossa noite e de nosso confuso sonho?

Talvez não mereçamos imaginar que haverá outros verões; se eles vierem, nós os receberemos obedientes como as cigarras e as paineiras — com flores e cantos. O inverno — te lembras — nos maltratou; não havia flores, não havia mar, e fomos sacudidos de um lado para outro como dois bonecos na mão de um titeriteiro inábil.

Ah, talvez valesse a pena dizer que houve um telefonema que não pôde haver; entretanto, é possível que não adiantasse nada. Para que explicações? Esqueçamos as pequenas coisas mortificantes; o silêncio torna tudo menos penoso (…) “

OUR LITTLE HERB GARDEN IN GREECE

Women over 50

I, like so many others, I'm sure, seem to be going through some kind of existential uncertainty.

The children that have been the reason of living and the center of our world have now left the home. The husband that was existent or not, for many of us is no longer in the picture, and I for one, have lost my position during these difficult times.

So here I am home, with practically no funds, no job, no family trying to survive a world I hardly recognize and I truly don't know where to begin.

To be a little more specific, I live in Athens, Greece. I am 59 years old. I have lived in different parts of the world and returned to Greece recently. It has proved impossible to find employment at my age here besides little jobs here and there.

The loneliness of the empty nest is still insufferable (my daughter moved only a couple of months ago) although I know that eventually this too will become easier but right now it is very hard. One situation makes the other even harder and I don't know how to deal with all this.

So I decided to write this blog as I know this is a means of communicating with many people and I know that there are many women out there that have either gone through or are going through the same situation as me.

Maybe we can help each other, and maybe we can together come up with a plan to do something constructive with our lives.

So ladies, here we are, if you have the time to chat and exchange ideas and views let me know.
There is so much to talk about that I am sure we can keep purselves busy and happy to have made new friends.

So I can't wait to hear from you.

The sun will shine tomorrow and I am hoping that it will thin out the clouds of my life.

Take care all of you!

TALKING ABOUT HERBS

Herbs encompass a magical world that is sometimes hard to believe or fully understand... This has been an universal truth from ancient times right through today. People have lived, healed, were fed, inspired and enchanted by herbs. Their powers have been undeniable! In today's world, laymen and scientists, believers or spiritualists, are returning to the "old ways" when herbs were priceless. Studies are being conducted on herbs and other organisms to treat, cure and alleviate all types of ailments and diseases from the simplest to the most complex. Once more we have real hope in the progress of healing and it's all due to nature's gifts.

If you have home remedies, tips on growing herbs which are your favorites and why please share them with us. We will be posting our knowledge and findings and would love it if you would do the same. Thank you for your time and company. Be Healthy and Happy Always!








A sprinkle of Lavender and Jasmine not only offer delicious scent but allow protective and loving energy to surround you. Enjoy!

The world from my window

I would like to look at the world from my window looking like what I see here. But it doesn't look like this. So I would like to change it, and all I can change is this little corner of the world that I call my house. I change the furniture around and use earthly colors, there are plants and flowers and outside on my deck I have started my own little garden. I would like to see all the rooftops of this city to be green. Let's make this city of cement look somewhat like the city of my dreams and of yours I am sure.
But so much has happened since I started writing this. I live in Athens, Greece and the events of these past few days has saddened us all tremendously. I look at the world from my little window and instead of a peaceful city, I see a city in pain and despair. We are crying for a young boy that died, but also for the young people that continue living in a world that they don't deserve. We have not prepared them for this world, as we were busy working or fullfiling our dreams which were mainly material. We filled their pockets with money and told them to go out and hang out with their friends, because we didn't have the time or the engergy to deal with them and their problems and questions. We forgot that is not just saying it, it is also showing it. There is so much to say and sometimes, all I can do and say is: I am sorry. I am sorry that we thought that making money would make your lives easier. I am sorry that we thoght that a pocket full of money would make up for our absence. Not only our physical absence but also our emotional absence. I am sorry we forgot to be parents.
I am sorry we have disappointed you. I am sorry for making this world a place where you don't deserve to live in. I am sorry. But if there is one more thing that you can hear, please listen.
Stop, stop the violence and think. This world is yours, to remake. Think and decide. This is a time of bloom. From the ashes a new era will come, one that you will make yourselves. Use this as a chance to prove to yourselves that you can do better, smarter. I kow that you can. A place where love will be more important than material things. Where love will rule and what you make will be for you but also for your friend. When there is only for me there is no future for us. Learn from our mistakes, and don't make the same ones. Like the phoenix you will rise from the ashes and will make the world we have all dreamed of. God bless you!

Ireanna