Garth Dutton

Fernando Pessoa – A Poem

This poem is about Portugal’s most popular poet, Fernando Pessoa. He wrote in the early 20th Century. He worked for most of his life as a clerk, and the sheer boredom of the work caused him to escape into a world where he could be 4 different personas as poets.

He actually became each different persona as he wrote in each name. In the English-speaking world, only David Bowie comes close to his achievement.

Fernando Pessoa
© Garth Dutton 2005

Fernando Pessoa, Portuguese poet,
is said to have lived
an uneventful life.
What he lacked in outer action,
he made up in clear poetic images,
and a range of four personalities
who could be so different.
As well as Fernando Pessoa,
he could also be
Alberto Caeiro,
Alvaro de Campos,
Ricardo Reis.

Re-reading “Selected Poems”,
fragments of a jigsaw
fall into place.
The importance of the sea.
The living wind, raging,
or creeping gently over fields.
Feelings of the colours and sounds
of summer daylight.
The silver ghostly world of moonlight.
The same world
seen through
the different eyes
of different moods
and different personalities.
The changing scenarios
reflecting
the changing eyes
of the beholder.

Tags: fernando pessoa, garth dutton, poem, poet, Poetry, portugal, Writing

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