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flo's Reviews > A Little Larger Than the Entire Universe: Selected Poems
A Little Larger Than the Entire Universe: Selected Poems
by
Warning
This is going to be a long, tedious, intense review. If you don't feel like reading an endless bunch of nonsense, you may leave now. However, poetry lover, I seriously suggest you this: get this book. As soon as possible. You have not fully lived until you live through the eyes of Pessoa.
There. You have been fairly warned. It's not my responsibility anymore.
On June 13, 1888, a whole new world was born. It was created out of words, beauty and sorrow, and it was inhabited by numerous souls coexisting in one complex body. Light as air, fragile as bones. That body started doubting about his own existence. He, the one that distrusted thinking and preferred feeling above all things, could not stop thinking, like the rest of us simple mortals that wish to put our brains on hold to enjoy the sight of the world. Despite any doubt, we all know his presence was too real, too strong, bigger than a planet, a little larger than the entire universe.
That man was Fernando Pessoa, who was born under that last name as if he had already something to achieve, for Pessoa means “person�, and he have split himself into a multitude of heteronyms to convey the vastness that laid inside of him. A universe of literature and feelings was waiting to be awoken. The rich range of literature that the young Pessoa absorbed and the French symbolists he admired gave form to the brilliant writer we know today. Nonetheless, we should also thank Walt Whitman, since he embodied the most powerful force that made it possible for Pessoa to create four of the greatest poets of the 20th century: Alberto Caeiro, Ricardo Reis, Álvaro de Campos and Fernando Pessoa-himself.
Certainly, Pessoa created the four poets aforementioned, but he endowed them with a time and place of birth, diverse thoughts, passion, different views on the world; ultimately, with existence. So it is only fair to speak about them as if they were real writers. Pessoa's mind might have been a common source for them, however, they alienated themselves. They took their own place in the world by force. The force of their art and the willing to live.
Thus, we shall begin.
The first thing we find inside this book is Zenith's remarkable “Introduction: The Birth of a Nation�. There, he skillfully describes Pessoa's most relevant life events and the process of his creations. He did not write a cold biography that merely enumerates certain events in someone's life. With a rich vocabulary, a clear style and the mesmerizing excerpts he intertwines with his own words, he created a true work of art. Be sure to not skip it.
Alberto Caeiro or The Primacy of Reality
Caeiro, born on April 16, 1889, personified the poet of Nature. He, the creator of The Keeper of Sheep, always said he wanted to see things as they are, without the interference of his brain. Without preconceptions. Without prejudices. Only the appreciation for what it really was. He did not consider himself as a materialist nor a deist: just a man that one fine day discovered that Nature existed.
Caeiro, the collector of facts. Facts he embellished with the art of the words. He thought he could detachedly describe Nature.
That he could dissipate the cloud of sentiment and portray only what his eyes were willing to see. Apparently, he could and, ironically, he made poetry out of that.
By denying the possibility of thought, he released himself from the torture of expectations. Of anxiety. And doubts. He saw how the world was being handed to him and he accepted it (I accept because it's my nature to accept; 64), without questioning. This suppression of the mind might have led him to happiness.
We will never know, of course. We have to rely on what he wrote... It does sound great in theory. Uncertainties are the rotten apple in someone's inner life. They are born in the mind and quickly reach the soul, creating a void that seems unstoppable.
I have said it was only fair to treat these poets as real people. Since I am human and, therefore, a walking contradiction, I have to say this: Caeiro is a very complex creation by Pessoa. And as much as I enjoy his poetry, I do not believe most of it. Only an invention can live without thinking. Or a charlatan claiming he can.
Even so, I sure find his poetry mesmerizing.
I can quote a million poems, even though I do not fully believe him. I believe De Campos, and quote Caeiro.
Coherent.
Anyway, like I said, I can only rely on what Caeiro wrote. I will never know the truth. He expressed that idea in the most beautiful way possible.
Ricardo Reis or The Serene Acceptance of Fate
Born in 1887, this physician and classicist continued Caeiro's vision on the world but in a more measured way. An incurable pagan, he accepted the world as it was and expressed that acceptance through the traditional style of his art. A quiet, modest and structured art.
He did not want extremes. He had no desires but the absence of desires.
He did not like conflict and he probably never had any since he serenely chose to accept fate. He accepted everything—and he encouraged us to do the same—even though he disliked changes, as he openly manifested in several poems. He seemed to actually enjoy the silent murderer that is the routine of life.
It is so beautifully put and yet I struggled with the idea. Some of Reis' poems express simple ideas that my egocentrism could not understand. Who am I to judge if someone loves a dull and plain existence?
Reis' writing lacks the spirited style of Caeiro's poetry. However, it is remarkably evocative. There is so much beauty in his rationalization.
There is a poem called “The Chess Players�. Chess always serves as a marvelous parallelism between us and life itself (it immediately reminded me of Zweig's short story). The language that Reis was capable of creating is simply exquisite.
Rhythm and structures. Forms and rules. Acceptance of life. Melancholy caused by change. That is Reis, the king of the conflicting verse.
Alvaro de Campos or The Unstoppable Desire of Everything and Nothing
It's not with the eyes but with the soul that I see; it's not with the ears but with the soul that I hear; it's not with the skin but with the soul that I touch.
And if someone should ask me what the soul is, I'll answer that it's me. (146)
Born in 1890. Lover of machines. Enemy of progress. Pursuer of freedom. Admirer of solitude. Pessoa's playful, sometimes scathing critic.
De Campos was madness. He was intensity, ecstasy, imbalance. The love and hatred for modern civilization. He was the violent desire of breaking loose; the passionate longing for sensations. He was the furious imagination that craved for something new. New people, new places.
The frenetic
explosion
of self.
Everything can be clearly seen in his “Maritime Ode�:
I have seen what is inside of him. And some of what I have seen should never leave that dark nook of his soul.
As much as De Campos wanted to contain the world (Whitman's presence is unquestionable, there is even a poem called “Salutation to Walt Whitman�: I salute you, Walt, I salute you, my Universal brother/Forever modern and eternal, the singer of concrete absolutes...), we distinguish two different sides of him. After the part kept inside of him loudly asked to be freed, to see the world, the part he inevitably showed to the world—the part that mildly asked to be noticed while yearning for solitude—brought calm and a sense of relief. Relief for myself, since I know now that not everything is an hysterically desire of satisfying his instinctual self.
The same poem portrays it perfectly.
De Campos embodied desire, in all forms. He expected too much. He wanted too much. Having such a strong, almost stubborn desire of experiencing everything, can lead to nothing more than despair. And ultimately, uncertainty. A sense of loss. The lack of meaning that haunts every mortal.
The poet wanted to feel all the sensations of the world while being on the never-ending quest for identity. He did not know who he was; he did not know what he wanted.
Delightful contradictions from the man that a couple of pages ago wanted to meet the whole world.
He who does not know himself at all, has to settle with wanting everything. And most of the times, he achieves nothing.
Fernando Pessoa-himself or The Analyst of Being
Another side of the real Pessoa. The sum of different aspects of the three poets analyzed before.
However, this review has reached the longitude of The Great Wall of China without even noticing, so I will control my enthusiasm. (That was a lie; I cannot control anything.)
Melancholy, despair; elements that are often present in FP-himself's poetry. Just like the themes of dreams and creativity, which characterizes the real Pessoa's works.
Seeker of the truth. The analyst of humanity. The intellectual side of sentiments. Lord of disquiet.
We see a man expressing his feelings through a poetic melody that runs aimlessly all over the world. The one thing he had to channelize his emotions and purge himself from whatever was troubling him.
I wonder if he ever succeeded.
Four poets deal with similar topics from their own perspectives. Each one of them has a unique personality and style. They do the best they can with the little they have.
The haunting past is usually trying to make its way into the life, approaching with firm steps. Calm but steady. Nostalgia is heavy. Ruthless. It can wear us out in a day. FP-himself cannot escape from that, either.
Nonetheless, the worst side of nostalgia is the one caused by something that have never existed. Only time can heal the frustrating wounds of missing what we never had.
There is an overwhelming sense of loss and sadness in FP-himself's verses. You inevitably feel empathy with his afflicted soul. I am well acquainted with the desire of breaking the patterns of loneliness while embracing the safe place that solitude provides.
Beautiful verses, and that kind of life is intolerable.
So. Here we are.
Caeiro, Reis, De Campos, Himself. I have met them all. I am in the same place, inside the same body that cages the same restless soul that quietly longs for something different.
I am in the same place and yet, I feel like I lived a little more.
By meeting one person I have met the entire universe.
Fernando Pessoa or the intellectual dissection of the soul.
Notes
* Painting: Catarina Inácio
** Also on .
*** Other reviews:
The Book of Disquiet
The Selected Prose of Fernando Pessoa
The Education of the Stoic
El Banquero Anarquista (written in Spanish)
by
...I have in me all the dreams of the world.
Álvaro de Campos, “The Tobacco Shop�
Warning
This is going to be a long, tedious, intense review. If you don't feel like reading an endless bunch of nonsense, you may leave now. However, poetry lover, I seriously suggest you this: get this book. As soon as possible. You have not fully lived until you live through the eyes of Pessoa.
There. You have been fairly warned. It's not my responsibility anymore.
On June 13, 1888, a whole new world was born. It was created out of words, beauty and sorrow, and it was inhabited by numerous souls coexisting in one complex body. Light as air, fragile as bones. That body started doubting about his own existence. He, the one that distrusted thinking and preferred feeling above all things, could not stop thinking, like the rest of us simple mortals that wish to put our brains on hold to enjoy the sight of the world. Despite any doubt, we all know his presence was too real, too strong, bigger than a planet, a little larger than the entire universe.
That man was Fernando Pessoa, who was born under that last name as if he had already something to achieve, for Pessoa means “person�, and he have split himself into a multitude of heteronyms to convey the vastness that laid inside of him. A universe of literature and feelings was waiting to be awoken. The rich range of literature that the young Pessoa absorbed and the French symbolists he admired gave form to the brilliant writer we know today. Nonetheless, we should also thank Walt Whitman, since he embodied the most powerful force that made it possible for Pessoa to create four of the greatest poets of the 20th century: Alberto Caeiro, Ricardo Reis, Álvaro de Campos and Fernando Pessoa-himself.
Certainly, Pessoa created the four poets aforementioned, but he endowed them with a time and place of birth, diverse thoughts, passion, different views on the world; ultimately, with existence. So it is only fair to speak about them as if they were real writers. Pessoa's mind might have been a common source for them, however, they alienated themselves. They took their own place in the world by force. The force of their art and the willing to live.
Thus, we shall begin.
The first thing we find inside this book is Zenith's remarkable “Introduction: The Birth of a Nation�. There, he skillfully describes Pessoa's most relevant life events and the process of his creations. He did not write a cold biography that merely enumerates certain events in someone's life. With a rich vocabulary, a clear style and the mesmerizing excerpts he intertwines with his own words, he created a true work of art. Be sure to not skip it.
Alberto Caeiro or The Primacy of Reality
Caeiro, born on April 16, 1889, personified the poet of Nature. He, the creator of The Keeper of Sheep, always said he wanted to see things as they are, without the interference of his brain. Without preconceptions. Without prejudices. Only the appreciation for what it really was. He did not consider himself as a materialist nor a deist: just a man that one fine day discovered that Nature existed.
Caeiro, the collector of facts. Facts he embellished with the art of the words. He thought he could detachedly describe Nature.
XXVIII
...I know I understand Nature on the outside,
And I don't understand it on the inside,
Because Nature has no inside.
If it did, it wouldn't be Nature. (31)
That he could dissipate the cloud of sentiment and portray only what his eyes were willing to see. Apparently, he could and, ironically, he made poetry out of that.
II
I believe in the world as in a daisy,
Because I see it. But I don't think about it,
Because to think is to not understand.
The world wasn't made for us to think about it...
�
To love is eternal innocence,
And the only innocence is not to think... (11)
By denying the possibility of thought, he released himself from the torture of expectations. Of anxiety. And doubts. He saw how the world was being handed to him and he accepted it (I accept because it's my nature to accept; 64), without questioning. This suppression of the mind might have led him to happiness.
XXXIV
...Seeing nothing but my thoughts...
I would grow sad and remain in the dark.
The way I am, without thinking, I have the Earth and the Sky. (36)
We will never know, of course. We have to rely on what he wrote... It does sound great in theory. Uncertainties are the rotten apple in someone's inner life. They are born in the mind and quickly reach the soul, creating a void that seems unstoppable.
IX
I'm a keeper of sheep.
The sheep are my thoughts
And each thought a sensation.
I think with my eyes and my ears
And with my hands and feet
And with my nose and mouth.
�
Then I feel my whole body lying down in reality,
I know the truth, and I'm happy. (23)
I have said it was only fair to treat these poets as real people. Since I am human and, therefore, a walking contradiction, I have to say this: Caeiro is a very complex creation by Pessoa. And as much as I enjoy his poetry, I do not believe most of it. Only an invention can live without thinking. Or a charlatan claiming he can.
Even so, I sure find his poetry mesmerizing.
XLIX
May this be my life, now and always:
The day bright with sunshine, or gentle with rain,
Or stormy as if the world were ending,
The evening gentle and my eyes attentive
To the people passing by my window,
With my last friendly gaze going to the peaceful trees,
And then, window shut and the lamp lit,
Without reading or sleeping and thinking of nothing,
To feel life flowing through me like a river between its banks,
And outside a great silence like a god who is sleeping. (46)
I can quote a million poems, even though I do not fully believe him. I believe De Campos, and quote Caeiro.
Coherent.
Anyway, like I said, I can only rely on what Caeiro wrote. I will never know the truth. He expressed that idea in the most beautiful way possible.
If, after I die, someone wants to write my biography,
There's nothing simpler.
It has just two dates—the day I was born and the day I died.
Between the two, all the days are mine. (61)
Ricardo Reis or The Serene Acceptance of Fate
Born in 1887, this physician and classicist continued Caeiro's vision on the world but in a more measured way. An incurable pagan, he accepted the world as it was and expressed that acceptance through the traditional style of his art. A quiet, modest and structured art.
16 June 1914
...The sun of the Parthenon and Acropolis
Which lit up the slow and weighty steps
of Aristotle speaking.
But Epicurus speaks more
To my heart with his caressing, earthly voice;
His attitude toward the gods is of a fellow god,
Serene and seeing life
At the distance where it lies. (86)
He did not want extremes. He had no desires but the absence of desires.
9 July 1930
...wanting little,
A man has everything. Wanting nothing,
He's free. Not having and not desiring,
He's equal, though man, to the Gods. (129)
He did not like conflict and he probably never had any since he serenely chose to accept fate. He accepted everything—and he encouraged us to do the same—even though he disliked changes, as he openly manifested in several poems. He seemed to actually enjoy the silent murderer that is the routine of life.
9 October 1916
...Anything whatsoever that changes
The smooth course of my existence,
Though it change it for something better,
Because it means change,
I hate and don't want. May the gods
Allow my life to be a continuous,
Perfectly flat plain, running
To where it ends.
Though I never taste glory and never
Receive love or due respect from others,
It will suffice that life be only life
And that I live it. (102)
It is so beautifully put and yet I struggled with the idea. Some of Reis' poems express simple ideas that my egocentrism could not understand. Who am I to judge if someone loves a dull and plain existence?
Reis' writing lacks the spirited style of Caeiro's poetry. However, it is remarkably evocative. There is so much beauty in his rationalization.
There is a poem called “The Chess Players�. Chess always serves as a marvelous parallelism between us and life itself (it immediately reminded me of Zweig's short story). The language that Reis was capable of creating is simply exquisite.
...Glory weighs like an overlarge burden
And fame like a fever,
Love wearies, for it ardently searches,
Science never finds,
And life grieves, for it knows it is passing...
The game of chess
Completely absorbs one's heart but weighs little
When lost, for it's nothing. (99)
Rhythm and structures. Forms and rules. Acceptance of life. Melancholy caused by change. That is Reis, the king of the conflicting verse.
2 March 1933
Each day you didn't enjoy wasn't yours:
You just got trhough it. Whatever you live
Without enjoying, you don't live.
You don't have to love or drink or smile.
The sun's reflection in a puddle of water
is enough, if it pleases you.
Happy those who, placing their delight
In slight things, are never deprived
Of each day's natural fortune. (134)
Alvaro de Campos or The Unstoppable Desire of Everything and Nothing
It's not with the eyes but with the soul that I see; it's not with the ears but with the soul that I hear; it's not with the skin but with the soul that I touch.
And if someone should ask me what the soul is, I'll answer that it's me. (146)
Born in 1890. Lover of machines. Enemy of progress. Pursuer of freedom. Admirer of solitude. Pessoa's playful, sometimes scathing critic.
De Campos was madness. He was intensity, ecstasy, imbalance. The love and hatred for modern civilization. He was the violent desire of breaking loose; the passionate longing for sensations. He was the furious imagination that craved for something new. New people, new places.
The frenetic
explosion
of self.
Everything can be clearly seen in his “Maritime Ode�:
Ah, to depart! By whatever means and to whatever place!
To set out across the waves, across unknown perils, across the sea! (173)
To take off...
My peaceful life,
My seated, static, orderly and repetitive life! (175)
Ah, pirates! Pirates!
The yearning for lawlessness coupled with brutality,
the yearning for absolutely cruel and abominable things,...
Beat and humiliate me!
�
Make me into something that's dragged
—O pleasure, O beloved pain!�
As if behind horses whipped by you...
But all this at sea, at se-e-e-ea, at SE-E-E-E-EA! (184)
I have seen what is inside of him. And some of what I have seen should never leave that dark nook of his soul.
As much as De Campos wanted to contain the world (Whitman's presence is unquestionable, there is even a poem called “Salutation to Walt Whitman�: I salute you, Walt, I salute you, my Universal brother/Forever modern and eternal, the singer of concrete absolutes...), we distinguish two different sides of him. After the part kept inside of him loudly asked to be freed, to see the world, the part he inevitably showed to the world—the part that mildly asked to be noticed while yearning for solitude—brought calm and a sense of relief. Relief for myself, since I know now that not everything is an hysterically desire of satisfying his instinctual self.
The same poem portrays it perfectly.
An inexplicable feeling of tenderness,
a tearful and heartfelt remorse...
Ah, how could I think or dream those things?
How far I am from what I was a few minutes ago! (187)
De Campos embodied desire, in all forms. He expected too much. He wanted too much. Having such a strong, almost stubborn desire of experiencing everything, can lead to nothing more than despair. And ultimately, uncertainty. A sense of loss. The lack of meaning that haunts every mortal.
The poet wanted to feel all the sensations of the world while being on the never-ending quest for identity. He did not know who he was; he did not know what he wanted.
Salutation to Walt Whitman
I'm exhausted from being so many things.
The latecomers are finally arriving,
And I suddenly get sick of waiting, of existing, of being.
...
It's good to feel, if for no other reason, so as to stop feeling. (215)
Delightful contradictions from the man that a couple of pages ago wanted to meet the whole world.
Lisbon Revisited (1923)
Don't grab me by the arm!
I don't like my arm being grabbed. I want to be alone,
I already told you that I can only be alone!
I'm sick of you wanting me to be sociable! (216)
He who does not know himself at all, has to settle with wanting everything. And most of the times, he achieves nothing.
Lisbon Revisited (1926)
Nothing holds me.
I want fifty things at the same time.
I long with meat-craving anxiety
For I don't know what�
Definitely something indefinite... (218)
Fernando Pessoa-himself or The Analyst of Being
Another side of the real Pessoa. The sum of different aspects of the three poets analyzed before.
However, this review has reached the longitude of The Great Wall of China without even noticing, so I will control my enthusiasm. (That was a lie; I cannot control anything.)
Melancholy, despair; elements that are often present in FP-himself's poetry. Just like the themes of dreams and creativity, which characterizes the real Pessoa's works.
Seeker of the truth. The analyst of humanity. The intellectual side of sentiments. Lord of disquiet.
We see a man expressing his feelings through a poetic melody that runs aimlessly all over the world. The one thing he had to channelize his emotions and purge himself from whatever was troubling him.
I wonder if he ever succeeded.
Some Ramdon Verses
...What matters is that nothing matter
Anymore... Whether Fate
Hangs over us or quietly and obscurely
Lurks in the distance
Is all the same... Here's the moment...
Let's be it... What good is thinking? (286)
Four poets deal with similar topics from their own perspectives. Each one of them has a unique personality and style. They do the best they can with the little they have.
The haunting past is usually trying to make its way into the life, approaching with firm steps. Calm but steady. Nostalgia is heavy. Ruthless. It can wear us out in a day. FP-himself cannot escape from that, either.
from Songbook
...You are to me like a dream�
In my soul your ringing is distant.
With every one of your clangs
Resounding across the sky,
I feel the past farther away,
I feel nostalgia close by. (274)
Nonetheless, the worst side of nostalgia is the one caused by something that have never existed. Only time can heal the frustrating wounds of missing what we never had.
There is an overwhelming sense of loss and sadness in FP-himself's verses. You inevitably feel empathy with his afflicted soul. I am well acquainted with the desire of breaking the patterns of loneliness while embracing the safe place that solitude provides.
Diary in the Shade
�
Don't you still sense in my sad and calm face
The sad child who always played far away from the others
And sometimes looked at them with sad eyes but without regret?
I know you're watching and don't understand what sadness is
That makes me look sad.
It isn't regret or nostalgia, disappointment or resentment.
No... It's the sadness...
The incurable sadness
Of one who realizes that everything's pointless, worthless,
That effort is an absurd waste,
And that life is a void,
Since disillusion always follows on the heels of illusion
And Death seems to be the meaning of Life... (288)
Beautiful verses, and that kind of life is intolerable.
So. Here we are.
Caeiro, Reis, De Campos, Himself. I have met them all. I am in the same place, inside the same body that cages the same restless soul that quietly longs for something different.
I am in the same place and yet, I feel like I lived a little more.
By meeting one person I have met the entire universe.
Fernando Pessoa or the intellectual dissection of the soul.
Notes
* Painting: Catarina Inácio
** Also on .
*** Other reviews:
The Book of Disquiet
The Selected Prose of Fernando Pessoa
The Education of the Stoic
El Banquero Anarquista (written in Spanish)
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Reading Progress
August 27, 2014
– Shelved
September 12, 2014
–
Started Reading
September 17, 2014
–
24.77%
"...I'd be happier for a moment...
But I don't always want to be happy.
To be unhappy now and then
Is part of being natural...
To feel as if feeling were seeing,
To think as if thinking were walking,
And to remember, when death comes, that each day dies,
And the sunset is beautiful, and so is the night that remains..."
page
108
But I don't always want to be happy.
To be unhappy now and then
Is part of being natural...
To feel as if feeling were seeing,
To think as if thinking were walking,
And to remember, when death comes, that each day dies,
And the sunset is beautiful, and so is the night that remains..."
November 8, 2014
–
100.0%
"And to think that now I have to put my thoughts in order... to write a review. The only way to mend this heart. That thing Pessoa unintentionally broke.
Once again."
page
436
Once again."
November 8, 2014
–
Finished Reading
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Agnieszka
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Sep 12, 2014 11:27PM
And you're still exploring Pessoa's universe...
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This would be my last for now. After enjoying his prose, I just had to know more about his poetry and that (in)famous Álvaro de Campos :)
I really need to read Fernando Pessoa. I only read him back in high school... and that was more than ten years ago already...
Renato wrote: "I really need to read Fernando Pessoa. I only read him back in high school... and that was more than ten years ago already..."I'm sure you'll find many more aspects to analyze. There's a new perspective with every read. :)
Will this be your two hundredth book? choose wisely :D (of course this is a wise choice) this reminds me of an episode in How I Met Your Mother when Barney tries to choose the hottest girl to sleep with as his girlfriend number 200 but makes the mistake in counting...
Heh, funny anecdote. Actually, I've read 201 books already, there must be a couple of books I still have to rate and review. But still, thank you for noticing, Shayan! That was very kind.
I can't wait to read your extended thoughts on this one Florencia. I bought the Penguin edition with an introduction by R.Zenit and I hope to get to it soon. I read Pessoa's poems in Spanish some years ago but my edition was a cheap paperback without additional material. Hope you're fine and not too stressed out with the banalities of daily life! :)
Thanks for labeling it as an "anecdote"! Oh so I was late.
Dolors wrote: "I can't wait to read your extended thoughts on this one Florencia. I bought the Penguin edition with an introduction by R.Zenit and I hope to get to it soon. I read Pessoa's poems in Spanish some y..."Thank you very much, Dolors :) I try to find a couple of minutes every now and then, heh. I need vacations!!
I've read his prose but none of his poems so far. Are they worth seeking out, Florencia?
Paul wrote: "I've read his prose but none of his poems so far. Are they worth seeking out, Florencia?"Absolutely. Four poets, completely different from each other, at the price of one. Insightful ideas and the finest poetry... So far, it's fascinating.
Labour of love, this one! A consummate pleasure to read. I have a copy of this one with me and I dip into it from time to time to immerse myself in the eternal words of Pessoa! Great work, Florencia :)
A passionate review Florencia! You've really made me want to buy this right now! I have an ever increasing amount of books... is one more allowed? Definitely!
You've made a believer out of me. Thank you for taking the time to write such a complete, thorough, and beautiful review.
Jibran wrote: "Labour of love, this one! A consummate pleasure to read. I have a copy of this one with me and I dip into it from time to time to immerse myself in the eternal words of Pessoa! Great work, Florenci..."Or the labour of a maniac! :P Thank you very much, Jibran. It was one of those days I just couldn't stop typing. I feel quite empty right now.
Sean wrote: "A passionate review Florencia! You've really made me want to buy this right now! I have an ever increasing amount of books... is one more allowed? Definitely!"I write because I need to, but if in the process I make someone want to buy the book, that makes me more than happy. Thank you very much, Sean!
Jenny wrote: "You've made a believer out of me. Thank you for taking the time to write such a complete, thorough, and beautiful review."I'm truly glad, Jenny. Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope you enjoy the book.
I knew that by ignoring your warning I'll be suitably rewarded and gosh! I lived a little more after reading this gem of a review. Absolutely stunning work, Florencia.
Outstanding review, Florencia ;) I didn't leave, any review that required a long and intense work, deserves to be read to support the effort involved ;)
Sheer Beauty this review! Pessoa has certainly inspired you , Florencia-san :)
I recently discovered Pessoa, and I think it did change my life. I hadn't read 'Diary in the shade' yet, I found the Portuguese version 'Diário na sombra' (it strangely doesn't seem to be on arquivopessoa.net) and I'm completely astonished. And then there's still so much by Pessoa I haven't read: the book of disquiet..., and I'm very interested to read his Faust fragments
Dazzling ode, Florencia! Beyond sublime! I deliberately delayed reading this since I wanted to steal a slice of time to consume this delicious review of yours, slowly and languidly, in solitude. I have my soul fed, happy and sumptuous! Pessoa needs immediate attention now... Gosh! :)
Garima wrote: "I knew that by ignoring your warning I'll be suitably rewarded and gosh! I lived a little more after reading this gem of a review. Absolutely stunning work, Florencia."Thank you very much, Garima! I'm truly glad you like it.
Alejandro wrote: "Outstanding review, Florencia ;) I didn't leave, any review that required a long and intense work, deserves to be read to support the effort involved ;)"Oh, thank you very much for those kind words, Alejandro!
Praj wrote: "Sheer Beauty this review! Pessoa has certainly inspired you , Florencia-san :)"He certainly did. He left me out of words, too. Thank you, Praj-san!
Toon wrote: "I recently discovered Pessoa, and I think it did change my life. I hadn't read 'Diary in the shade' yet, I found the Portuguese version 'Diário na sombra' (it strangely doesn't seem to be on arquiv..."Then you must read The Book of Disquiet, as soon as possible. You will love it. Thank you for reading!
Seemita wrote: "Dazzling ode, Florencia! Beyond sublime! I deliberately delayed reading this since I wanted to steal a slice of time to consume this delicious review of yours, slowly and languidly, in solitude. I ..."You're too kind, Seemita! Thank you for such generous words. This book is a whole world. It deals with every theme, every aspect of human condition. It's a wonderful way to get to know Pessoa's work.
Thank you for taking the time to write this beautiful review. I found Pessoa difficult for me to get into, but I feel I have gained from reading this review.
Jan wrote: "Thank you for taking the time to write this beautiful review. I found Pessoa difficult for me to get into, but I feel I have gained from reading this review."I understand. I'm glad you liked the review. Thank you for reading!
I bestow upon thee the Intellectual Stamina Award for 2015, Florencia. Your fingertips must have been stressed as well after that review. I am not a poetry reader, but I'm intrigued by any writer that could inspire this sort of passionate analysis. Great work!
Outstanding review. I've not read Pessoa, but this could easily stand as a kind of introduction. Poetry reviews can be tough, and then when you get into "difficult" poetry, even more so.
Steve wrote: "Poetry reviews can be tough, and then when you get into "difficult" poetry, even more so."In a way, Pessoa's poetry is very accessible, the ideas contained in it set you pondering, but the words themselves are very clear. That was my experience anyway, but an introduction to his ideas can still be very helpful (and is extremely interesting even without reading his poetry)
Joe wrote: "I bestow upon thee the Intellectual Stamina Award for 2015, Florencia. Your fingertips must have been stressed as well after that review. I am not a poetry reader, but I'm intrigued by any writer t..."I'm truly honored. Before the music starts, I want to thank the ISA organization, family, friends and Pessoa, the person that inspired all this!
Thank you very much for your words, Joe. I hope you give Pessoa a chance. I think you will like his work.
Steve wrote: "Outstanding review. I've not read Pessoa, but this could easily stand as a kind of introduction. Poetry reviews can be tough, and then when you get into "difficult" poetry, even more so."I'm glad you enjoyed it, Steve. I love reviewing poetry, everything just flows. I don't usually write these long and tedious reviews. But this book is... well. Everything. Thank you for reading.
Toon wrote: "Steve wrote: "Poetry reviews can be tough, and then when you get into "difficult" poetry, even more so."In a way, Pessoa's poetry is very accessible, the ideas contained in it set you pondering, ..."
Very true.
This review is complete perfection. Period. Perfect. What an amazing and insightful investigation into each facet of the Pessoa world. Isn't he just outright disbelievingly good? But yes, this is wonderful as both criticism and discussion as well as a flawless tribute to a great man of many minds. Great work (you can hear the applause if you listen really hard)
s.penkevich wrote: "This review is complete perfection. Period. Perfect. What an amazing and insightful investigation into each facet of the Pessoa world. Isn't he just outright disbelievingly good? But yes, this is w..."If you listen really hard, you can hear a deep sigh reflecting great gratitude after reading such a lovely comment. :) Pessoa is infinite. It took time but he became one of my favorite writers. Thank you very much for reading, s.
Florencia wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "This review is complete perfection. Period. Perfect. What an amazing and insightful investigation into each facet of the Pessoa world. Isn't he just outright disbelievingly good..."Well it was more than worth the time! Great work, ive actually been flipping through my copy since I read your review.
s.penkevich wrote: "Florencia wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: "This review is complete perfection. Period. Perfect. What an amazing and insightful investigation into each facet of the Pessoa world. Isn't he just outright d..."I have a feeling you will find a couple of new things. I see you read this book a couple of years ago. Reading that review now!
Thanks for your outstanding review, Florencia.I believe in the world as in a daisy,
Because I see it. But I don't think about it,
Because to think is to not understand.
The world wan't made for us to think about it... ------ It is so curious, the more we are caught in the mind-mesh of continual thinking, particularly about the past and future, the more we are taking ourselves out of a fresh seeing of the daisy.
Glenn wrote: "Thanks for your outstanding review, Florencia.I believe in the world as in a daisy,
Because I see it. But I don't think about it,
Because to think is to not understand.
The world wan't made for u..."
Thank you for that more than insightful comment, Glenn. We do get lost and forget to find beauty in the simplest things. And thanks to you, I just saw a terrible typo :P All fixed now.
I'd say it's a "long" review but also a "tremendious" and "intenseresting" one too ;)
Shayan wrote: "I'd say it's a "long" review but also a "tremendious" and "intenseresting" one too ;)":P Thank you very much, Shayan!
I think you know how I feel about Pessoa after BoD, so any words I say about this review are rather superfluous (but I loved reading it). Thank you for writing this one - even after reading BoD I was reluctant towards poetry (especially if translated), but now that I'm interested in that sea I'm wondering if I should dive into Pessoa's world again or read some other authors so I have a basis for comparison I can appreciate from - either option sounds good, so I'm not sure. As much as I'd like to ask your opinion on this, I know that it would do me good to read him again after reading other authors for a while, so I'll probably go for the latter option, but I'd definitely like to pick this one up later in the year. Sorry for the ramblings.
Junta wrote: "I think you know how I feel about Pessoa after BoD, so any words I say about this review are rather superfluous (but I loved reading it). Thank you for writing this one - even after reading BoD I w..."I agree with you. You already know what Pessoa is capable of, how his writing might make you feel, so I think you might consider reading some other authors, as you're beginning this amazing journey with poetry. There are so many remarkable poets out there that I know our Portuguese friend would understand. I've bought some other books on Russian poetry so I have to add them to this year's plan. I still have to do a little research on modern/contemporary Japanese poetry. If you hear anything, please, let me know. :P
Thank you for taking
Florencia wrote: "Junta wrote: "I think you know how I feel about Pessoa after BoD, so any words I say about this review are rather superfluous (but I loved reading it). Thank you for writing this one - even after r..."Great to hear you've bought some books on Russian poetry (not that I've read any before). Sure I'll let you know, but I believe you are more knowledgeable there too than me anyway. :3
To read this glorious review dipped into the diverse hues of your impressions, insight, and edifying passion is a pleasure akin to sojourning a Proustian voyage. As you unveil the inner core of this poet and touch his outermost boundries, I gave myself away to your appraisal as one gives away to sleep. How warm, profound, and affecting this review is. Thank you so much. I cannot wait to read this.
Mesmerizing. *clapping, clapping, clapping wildly* This goes immediately on my to-read shelf, Florencia. I loved, loved, loved this monster of a review of yours. I could relate almost to everything you wrote and all those beautiful verses you quoted. I felt as if someone has written my life down in couple of carefully mingled words. Thank you for this pure artistic delight!
Waqas wrote: "To read this glorious review dipped into the diverse hues of your impressions, insight, and edifying passion is a pleasure akin to sojourning a Proustian voyage. As you unveil the inner core of thi..."*sighs* It's amazing how a couple of lines, one comment so beautifully written may improve one's day - sheer poetry. You mentioned a Proustian voyage. Now I know I don't deserve that, but who am I to contradict you? :P I can only express how grateful I am. Thanks so much for your kind words. And I can't even imagine what Pessoa's poetry will inspire in such an avid and perceptive reader like you. Enjoy!
Scarlett wrote: "Mesmerizing. *clapping, clapping, clapping wildly* This goes immediately on my to-read shelf, Florencia. I loved, loved, loved this monster of a review of yours. I could relate almost to everything..."And my day just keeps getting better. :) Thanks so much for your lovely and supportive comment, Scarlett. Glad you enjoyed this long, long review; thrilled to see you added this exquisite poetry collection by one of my all-time favorite writers. What you felt is the first spark of the wonderful fireworks you will contemplate once you immerse yourself in Pessoa's world. That kind of beauty, that kind of connection; that brutal difference, that unbreakable bond between the cold sphere of the mind and the genuine realm of the heart - simply mesmerizing.
