Viajantes
Traziam poentes e estradas
A sede do horizonte os chamava.
—A quem pertences tu?
Quem são os da tua casa?
Assim estendia nossa avó
A caneca de água ao viajante.
Glossary
|
WORD
|
DEFINITION
|
POSSIBLE SYNONYMS
|
|---|---|---|
| a (art., prep.) | 1. article—something or someone already mentioned or of common knowledge 2. preposition—in the direction of | 1. the 2. to, for, toward, at |
| água (n.) | a colorless, transparent, odorless, tasteless liquid that forms the seas, lakes, rivers, and rain | water, H2O |
| ao (prep. + art.) | to or for something or someone already mentioned or of common knowledge | to the, for the |
| assim (adv.) | in the manner now being indicated | thus, like this, in this way, like so |
| avó (n.) | the mother of one’s father or mother | grandmother, grandma, nana, granny |
| caneca (n.) | a large cup, typically cylindrical and with a handle | mug, cup, glass, pint, jug, tin |
| casa (n.) | the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household | home, house, household, abode, residence |
| chamava (v.) | from the verb chamar—to call out to | called, summoned, attracted, hailed |
| da (prep.) | expressing the relationship of origin | of, from |
| de (prep.) | expressing the relationship between a part and a whole | of |
| do (prep. + art.) | of or from something already mentioned or of common knowledge | of the |
| e (conj.) | in addition to | and, as well as, plus |
| estendia (v.) | from the verb estender—to hold something out toward someone | extended, held out, offered, reached out, gave |
| estradas (n.) | a wide way leading from one place to another, especially one that vehicles can use | roads, roadways, streets, highways, thoroughfares |
| horizonte (n.) | the line at which the earth’s surface and the sky appear to meet | horizon, skyline, expanse |
| nossa (adj.) | belonging to or associated with the speaker and one or more others | our |
| os (pron.) | used to refer to two or more people or things | them, those, the people |
| pertences (v.) | from the verb pertencer—to fit in a specified place or environment | belong, reside, are connected, are related, fit |
| poentes (n.) | the time in the evening when the sun disappears or daylight fades | sunsets, dusk, twilights, eventides, sundowns |
| quem (pron.) | what or which person or people | who, whom, whoever |
| são (v.) | from the verb ser—to exist | are |
| sede (n.) | a strong desire for something, especially water | thirst, craving, longing, desire, yearning, hankering |
| traziam (v.) | from the verb trazar—to cause something to come to a place | they brought, they bore, they carried, they transferred |
| tu (pron.) | refers to the person being spoken to | you |
| tua (adj.) | belonging to the person being spoken to | your |
| viajante (n.) | a person who makes a journey, typically of some length | traveler, pilgrim, drifter, nomad, migrant |
| viajantes (n.) | people who make a journey, typically of some length | travelers, pilgrims, drifters, nomads, migrants |
Background
About Free Verse
Free verse is a literary device that can be defined as poetry that is free from
limitations of regular meter or rhythm and does not rhyme with fixed forms. Such
poems are without rhythms and rhyme schemes; do not follow regular rhyme
scheme rules and still provide artistic expression. In this way, the poet can give his
own shape to a poem how he/she desires. However, it still allows poets to use
alliteration, rhyme, cadences or rhythms to get the effects that they consider are
suitable for the piece.
Bio
Conceição Lima is a poet and journalist from São Tomé and Príncipe, a country made up of two islands off the western coast of Africa. After hundreds of years of Portuguese colonization, her country finally gained its independence in 1975, when Lima was a teenager. She writes poetry about slavery, colonialism, and immigration.