Florbela Espanca 111 years!

111 years ago, on the 8th of december, Florbela was born. This important date is celebrated today, not only by the GLBT portuguese community(firmly suported by Inês), but also by all those who love poetry. I whant to dedicate to all Ferreiras her marvelous sonet Ser Poeta. To ferreira's third anf fourth generation, english translation by babelfish...

Ser poeta é ser mais alto, é ser maior
Do que os homens! Morder como quem beija!
É ser mendigo e dar como quem seja
Rei do Reino de Áquem e de Além Dor!

É ter de mil desejos o esplendor
E não saber sequer que se deseja!
É ter cá dentro um astro que flameja,
É ter garras e asas de condor!

É ter fome, é ter sede de Infinito!
Por elmo, as manhãs de oiro e de cetim...
É condensar o mundo num só grito!

E é amar-te, assim, perdidamente...
É seres alma, e sangue, e vida em mim
E dizê-lo cantando a toda a gente!


To be a poet is to be higher, is to be bigger
Than men! To bite as he who kisses!
It is to be beggar and to give as who is
King of the Kingdom of Before and Beyond Pain!

It is to have of a thousand desires the splendor
and not to know at least that it is desired!
Is to have inside one here star that burns,
Is to have claws and wing of condor!

It is to have hunger, is to have headquarters of the Infinite!
For helmet, the mornings of gold and satin...
Are to condense the world in one alone shout!

It is to love you, thus, madly...
It is beings soul, and blood, and life in me
and singing it to all people!