Saturday, December 13, 2008

Cleaving Saramago



Recent Lisbon Visit
—for José Saramago

November 10, 2008

“Art frees us,
illusorily, from
the squalor of being”
—Fernando Pessoa
“#269,” The Book of Disquiet


These lonely — Lisbon nights
& restless — Portuguese weekends
No wonder — Pessoa hid his identity
with such — elegant pantomime…
Lovely bildungsroman — my dear
Lisbon’s — adolescent lifestyle…
I love the — lavish satins
Puzzling purples — in my hotel room…
And the Mississippi — also passes—
By the — Rua dos Douradores…
But now I must — say goodbye—
& catch the — next flight home…




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