Álvaro Pacheco

This Man
                                                 Para Rachel de Queiroz
                      
  
I - 

And then, the god said:

this man is damned
in all his dreams, this man
mustl, but never
will be saved or redeemed
because his is the fire,
that burns but do not destroy,
some of the music
and all the damned dreams,

this man
is like  ritual drums or a lonely trumpet,
the devilishes sounds, hell’s magic
on the ears, and
human’s bonds and strings and flowers -

this man
is forever damned, no way for him
to escape his destiny and prophecies –

someday
somebody will tell you
what this man was.
 

II -

And the other god said:

This man is saved
because he was so damned
and so full of sounds and sorrows
and fire and bonds and magic
like an angel funeral,
that he will blow out
all the trumpets and drums and bonds
and destinies and prophecies -

and will be saved
like the golden strings
tying up the heavens
and all the flowers
on earth, like
was promised
to every man.

Someday
somebody, perhaps
will tell you that.
 

III -

Now, I’ll tell you:

this was his own secret
like an heritage

and he never said anything about it. Loudly:  escape is to run. Sometimes, staying is also an human effort to be kept running. He knew Hell and its secrets also. He never  dreamed about salvation while being damned. He tried  to know all men, and the saga  of mankind. He  travelled amongst the forests, inside the trees, inside the flowers, inside the bees.  He was always looking into the mysteries and magics. But,mind, not worried or concerned with salvation, because he was sure that no man deserves salvation. No flesh needs salvation. No human mind understands salvation. No destiny was designed for salvation. I knew this man deeply. And I can tell you: he has always tried. As for what will happen, he didn’t care. Conscious. What he has seen is what he has said and believed: just nothing.(Or everything).  Since he was born by some miracle, like all his fellow men, he doesn’t understand. A lot of things is just words - and a lot of words has no meanings when we talk about real life. Salvation is not a concern of life, because life, when it starts, it is already lost. So, this man knew. His only concern was not to be saved or be damned. But death. This I tell you.
 

This man finally is damned
because of the words -
those he used to possess
and love - and because
his successful efforts
to discover and understand
the secret meaning of words
like a real god, and also the mystery
that lays inside every word
since creation of the flesh.

                                       
                                                                                   

[ ÍNDICE  DO LIVRO ][ ÍNDICE  DO AUTOR ]
 
 
 
 
 Página editada por  Alisson de Castro,  Jornal de Poesia,  20  de  Julho  de  1998