Paul Laurence Dunbar - Sympathy

Foto: Human Birdcage, by Kako93

I know what the caged bird feels, alas!
When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;
When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,
And the river flows like a stream of glass;
When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,
And the faint perfume from its chalice steals--
I know what the caged bird feels!


I know why the caged bird beats its wing
Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;
For he must fly back to his perch and cling
When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;
And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars
And they pulse again with a keener sting--
I know why he beats his wing!

I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,--
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings--
I know why the caged bird sings!




Paul Laurence Dunbar (Poeta Norte-Americano, 1872-1906)

Biografia de Paul Laurence Dunbar

Arménio Vieira - Isto é que fazem de nós

E perguntam-nos:
- sois homens?
Respondemos:
- animais de capoeira.
Dizem-nos:
- bom dia.
Pensamos:
lá fora...

Isto é que fazem de nós
quando nos inquirem:
- estais vivos?
E em nós
as galinhas respondem:
- dormimos.



Arménio Vieira (Poeta Cabo Verdiano)

Julião Soares Sousa - Cantos do meu país

Canto as mãos que foram escravas
nas galés
corpos acorrentados a chicote
nas Américas
Canto cantos tristes
do meu país
cansado de esperar
a chuva que tarde a chegar
Canto a Pátria moribunda
que abandonou a luta
calou seus gritos
mas não domou suas esperanças
Canto as horas amargas
de silêncio profundo
cantos que vêm da raiz
de outro mundo
estes grilhões que ainda detém
a marcha do meu País.



Julião Soares Sousa (Poeta da Guiné-Bissau)