Kenia's Wednesday Challenge

Hello there Toads! It's Kenia here with a new South American poet: Ladies and gentlemen, meet Vinícius de Moraes.

Dialectics

It is clear that life is good
And happiness, the only indescribable emotion
It is clear that I find you beautiful
In you I praise the love of simple things
It is clear that I love you
And I have everything to be happy

But it happens that I am sad

Vinícius was born in 1913, in Rio de Janeiro and besides a poet, he was also a playwright, a diplomat and a composer of  Bossa Nova – many of his songs became all-time classics. I have prepared a special selection for your pleasure, you can click the link below to listen!

Bossa Nova for Real Toads

Tom Jobim & Vinícius de Moraes

Vinícius published his first collection of poems at the age of 19, in the beginning he wrote mainly free verse and blank verse, but after getting a scholarship to study literature at Oxford University, he abandoned the styles in favour of a poetical programme based on respect for traditional forms and extreme metrical accuracy, by excelling onwards in the handling of the rhymed, metrified sonnet.

Sonnet of separation

Suddenly laughter became sobbing

Silent and white like the mist

And united mouths became foam

And upturned hands became astonished.

Suddenly the calm became the wind

That extinguished the last flame in the eye

And passion became foreboding

And the still moment became drama.

Suddenly, no more than suddenly

He who'd become a lover became sad

And he who'd become content became lon

The near became the distant friend

Life became a vagrant venture

Suddenly, no more than suddenly.

In 1958, Vinícius wrote an autobiography in 81 short verses where he said writing was his way to escape life's dangers, fears and torment.

Allow

Allow
to speak, those who wish, my dear
allow
allow the heart to speak as well
for it is quite right when it complains
so people allow, allow, allow, allow
no-one lives more than once
allow
say yes in order not to say maybe
allow
passion also exists
allow
don't allow me to be sad.

THE CHALLENGE: 

Vinícius wrote the lyrics for "Garota de Ipanema" ("The Girl from Ipanema"), a worldwide Bossa Nova hit in the mid-1960s that won a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1965. The song was inspired by a fifteen-year-old girl he watched to stroll past the popular Veloso bar-café in Copacabana, where he used to sit with his friends for drinks and conversation. Today's challenge consists of spending some time out (in a café, in a park...) or at the window (if you have a view) and observing a person. Describe him/her. Try to imagine the story behind that person. Build a narrative poem around him/her. Either that or write your person a letter poem.

Link your poem, leave a comment and provide a link in your blog to Real Toads.

Happy writing friends! Happy New Year!