Joaquim Manuel Jesus Sobral Gil

Nasci em 1964 em Lisboa, Portugal. Sempre vivi no meu país. A minha formação é na área das Ciências, no entanto, completo-me nas Letras. As palavras dão sentido ao mundo, é através delas que vemos para lá do arco-íris.

PS – O meu pseudónimo é Jaime A. e é por ele que me identifico apenas.

(A responsabilidade da tradução dos poemas para inglês é apenas minha)

A short biography

I was born in 1964 in Lisbon, Portugal.

I always lived in my country.

My background is Science, but it is Literature that fulfils me.

The world makes sense with words and it’s through words that we can see beyond the rainbow.

PS – My pen-name is Jaime A.  and that is my only identification.

(I am to blame for all errors and mistakes in translation of the poems for English)

NOITE                                                                                    NIGHT

Já esqueci se a noite                                                          I have forgotten

ainda tem esquinas.                                                            whether night has corners or not.

Se os meus olhos                                                                If my eyes

se derramam pela calçada                                                 pour themselves

rebrilhante,                                                                   on the shiny sidewalk

é porque as travessas                                                         as the sleepers cross

ainda se intersectam                                                           under the nakedness of the

na nudez da lua esquecida.                                              forgotten moon.

Há muito que os meus passos                                        My foosteps have echoed long ago

ecoam por onde onde os meus olhos                              where my eyes

se derramam;                                                                        shed;

há muito que sonho                                                                        Long ago have I dreamed

com desencontros,                                                              with mismatches,

invulgares sorrisos                                                              unusuall smiles

trocados entre quem                                                           shared by those

repousa,                                                                                who rest,

sobressaltado                                                                       startling

quando os outros,                                                                when all the rest

sonâmbulos,                                                             the sleepwalkers,

se vestem                                                                  get dressed

e rumam para o trabalho.                                       and head to work.

Nós, nós, não nos vendemos                                We, we do not sell ourselves

por dinheiro.                                                             in change of money.

Esconjuramos o tempo:                                          We adjure time:

compramos mais dias, meses, anos,                    we buy more days, more months, more years,

para que os outros,                                                  so that all the others,

os sonâmbulos do dia,                                            the day light sleepwalkers,

tenham margem                                                       may be able

para trocar a áspera claridadade                           to swap the rough brightness

pelo doce, carinhoso manto                                  for the sweet tender blackness cloak.

da negritude.                                                       

ADORMECENDO                                                                                                                            FALLING ASLEEP

Hoje queria dormir queria enroscar-me no meu sono,                                                             I´d like to sleep and wrap in my own sleep,

a boca fechada, os olhos semi-cerrados na minha própria loucura.                                     my mouth and my eyes closed

                                                                                                                                                            in my own insanity.

Queria fechar os braços,

enclavinhar as mãos.                                                                                                                      I’d like to close my arms

                                                                                                                                                            to clasp my fingers.

Amanhã queria acordar, a boca ainda fechada,                                                                       

o meu silêncio o meu porta-voz,                                                                                                   I’d like to wake up tomorrow

o meu pisa-passados.                                                                                                                     the silence being my speaking-tube,

Ver.                                                                                                                                                     my pressing o’past.

Apenas.                                                                                                                                             To watch.

O ruído do silêncio afoitando-se por mim acima.                                                                       Only.

Nada mais.                                                                                                                                        The sound of silence whippinp up at myself.

                                                                                                                                                            Nothing else.

Só então terei descoberto que a palavra é rica na sua parcimónia,

e que a brisa da morte não é susto, não é gelo.                                                                        Only then will I discover that word

                                                                                                                                                            is wealthy in its parsimony,
("Guarda-te,                                                                                                                                       and that death breeze it’s not fright

sê puro                                                                                                                                               it´s not ice.    

quando a depressão chegar,

não a abraces,                                                                                                                                  (“Apart from sin,

não a expulses;                                                                                                                                be pure,

ela acabará por fugir,                                                                                                                       so when depression comes,

ante a tua autenticidade.                                                                                                                 don’t throw it away,

Entretanto,                                                                                                                                         she eventually will run away,

vive,                                                                                                                                                    in face of your authenticity.

não existas!"                                                                                                                                     In the meanwhile

Fala de Platão a Élido,                                                                                                                    live!

                                                                                                                                                Don’t just exist!”

discípulo dilecto)                                                                                                                  What Plato told Elido ,

                                                                                                                                                his beloved disciple)

QUANDO                                                                                                                  WHEN                                                                                                                                   

Quando os passos                                                                                                  When the irregular steps

incertos                                                                                                                      become strident,

se tornarem estridentes,                                                                                         when the vivacious smile

quando o sorriso                                                                                                      becomes sluggish,

vivaz                                                                                                                           when my eyes undressed from yourself

se tornar lerdo,                                                                                                         become a spark,

quando os meus olhos                                                                                           then I’ll know that my time,

despidos de ti                                                                                                           that my hunger for silence,

se tornarem centelha,                                                                                             will both make sense

então saberei que o meu tempo,                                                                          at the dawn

que a minha fome de silêncio,                                                                              that spreads all over the skyline.

terão sentido na madrugada

que se alastra até pelo horizonte fora.                                                                 Tell me when the time comes,

                                                                                                                                    wake me up,            
Diz-me quando for a hora,                                                                                     the stiff horror,

desperta-me                                                                                                              the dim flame,

do terror hirto,                                                                                                           (and so)

da chama já mortiça,                                                                                               and let me walk

e deixa-me caminhar,                                                                                                         a long, long walk     

caminhar muito,                                                                                                                   till the end of the symmetrical exile

até ao fim do exílio simétrico,                                                                                             that I laid my soul.

que impus à minha alma.