ISMÁLIA
The poem Ismália from Alphonsus Guimaraens was the inspiration for this collage work.
Below, I present it in its original language (Portuguese) and an English translation, made to the best of my knowledge. In this project I try to capture the beauty, darkness and melancholy in which the character is inserted. I was deeply touched by these words from the first time I heard them.
ISMÁLIA
Alphonsus de Guimaraens
(Portuguese - original)
Quando Ismália enlouqueceu
Pôs-se na torre a sonhar
Viu uma lua no céu
Viu outra lua no mar
No sonho em que se perdeu
Banhou-se toda em luar
Queria subir ao céu
Queria descer ao mar
E num desvario seu
Na torre pôs-se a cantar
Estava perto do céu
Estava longe do mar
E como um anjo pendeu
As asas para voar
Queria a lua do céu
Queria a lua do mar
As asas que Deus lhe deu
Ruflaram de par em par
Sua alma subiu ao céu
Seu corpo desceu ao mar
(English translation)
When Ismalia went crazy
In the tower she put herself to dream
She saw a moon in the sky
She saw a moon in the sea
In the dream where she got lost
Bathed herself all in moonlight
She wanted to get to the sky
She wanted to get to the sea
And lost in her madness
In the tower she started to sing
She was close to the sky
She was far from the sea
And as an angel she hung
the wings to fly
She wanted the moon in the sky
She wanted the moon in the sea
The wings given by God
Roared from pair to pair
Her soul ascended to the sky
Her body descended to the sea
Poem by the Brazilian poet Alphonsus de Guimaraens (1870 - 1921), published in his lyrical book “Pastoral aos crentes do amor e da morte” (free translation: “Pastoral to the Believers of Love and Death"), in 1923. Poem from the series “As Canções” (free translation: The Songs).