The Universe Within
Poem Da Minha Aldeia (From My Village) by Fernando Pessoa under his heteronomy Alberto Caieiro., from the collection of poems O Guardador de Rebanhos (The herd keeper).
From my village I see the universe.
That´s why my village is as big as any other one
Because I am the size of what I see
And not the size of my height.
In the cities life is smaller
than it is here in my house on the hill.
In the city big houses block our view
hide the horizon, push our eyes away from the sky,
make us small, because they take away from us what our eyes can give us
and empoverish us, because our only wealth is what we see.
From my village I see the universe
That´s why my village is as big as any other one
Because I am the size of what I see
And not the size of my height.
Portuguese original here.
A beautiful video with actress Laura Cardoso saying the poem here
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Dorraine K. Darden says:
This is beautiful. A short
This is beautiful. A short poem but as big as any other one. Because of spiky pines, we can't see an open sky in our backyard, but even if we could, only a sprinkling of stars are visible. We are too close to tall buildings and artificial light. This is a lavish reminder why I want to get back to that house on a hill. Thanks for posting this, Luc!
Luciana Lhullier says:
Hi Dorraine, the sky
Hi Dorraine, the sky doesn´t look the same when there´s the interference of too many artificial lights, does it? But it´s good that you have a backyard... :-)
Mary Wilkinson says:
Thank you for sharing this
Thank you for sharing this poem Lu. It reminds me of when I lived in Baltimore, Md and pined for the Southwest and the mountains. In the evenings I would go upstairs to the back window that faced West to try and see the sunset. Now, I have the sky back again, sometimes it feels as if it comes right in through the glass and there is nothing to define where it begins or where it might end. Mares
Luciana Lhullier says:
Ah Mares, living on the
Ah Mares, living on the coast is good for the soul. It should be prescribed by doctors more often!
Mary Wilkinson says:
I am a Pisces, I would
I am a Pisces, I would shrivel up without the ocean!
Sue Glasco says:
I am the size of what I see...
Ah. Inspiring sentence that. Makes me want to see more. In the city and in the village...
Sue Glasco says:
Mares' Sky
Mary's sky not only comes right through her glass--but then it comes across the ocean into our homes too.
Thanks for posting the poem, Lu.
Luciana Lhullier says:
The words are little fish
The words are little fish swimming from one coast to another...
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
Lu, if you can find or make
Lu, if you can find or make a framed version of this, it would be perfect for your country house.
Luciana Lhullier says:
What a great idea El ! I´ll
What a great idea El ! I´ll do that, either on cloth or wood... Thanks!
Rebbecca Hill says:
Lu, this is such a beautiful
Lu, this is such a beautiful and powerful poem. The last two lines, especially speak to me.
Thank you for posting this and the original!
Luciana Lhullier says:
I learned this poem when I
I learned this poem when I was a schoolgirl, and it´s been with me ever since.
And on a humorous note, for a shortie (5'4") like me, the last two lines are reassuring...:-D
Rebbecca Hill says:
Lu, I remember reading a
Lu, I remember reading a comment of yours recently that you really like Langston Hughes as an American poet. I also enjoy his work very much, especially when he talks about how it came about and reads his words. You may have come across this one, but if not, here it is. It's "The Negro Speaks of Rivers."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V425SdNWIJU&feature=related
:)
Luciana Lhullier says:
Rebb, thanks so much for
Rebb, thanks so much for this! It is precious! I read his autobiography, The Big Sea, and I remember him telling about his trip to Mexico to see his father. I had never heard this poem in his own voice! And the pictures! Thanks again!
Abdelwahab Hammoudi says:
Yes
That's why the city people are myopic, while those of the countryside and those living in the desert have sharp sight.
Luciana Lhullier says:
Is that a metaphor, H? :-)
Is that a metaphor, H? :-)
Abdelwahab Hammoudi says:
A reality
One can't see farther than the block in face while in the countryside he is only limited by the horizon!
Ryoma Collia-Suzuki says:
That is such a wonderful
That is such a wonderful poem. Thank you for sharing it!
I was brought up as a city boy and didn't see much of nature until my mid teens. I value nature so much, partly because of this I think.
I love the part that says 'Because I am the size of what I see'.
Luciana Lhullier says:
Hi Ryoma! Thanks for
Hi Ryoma! Thanks for stopping by!
You know, I like the city. I don´t see it as an opposition to nature. For me,nature is within us.
But I agree with you, balancing the city and the countryside give us a different perspective on life. I love the smell, the colors, the sounds, everything related to being in the countryside.
In relation to the poem, I like to think it more as a metaphor. I like to imagine each one of us as a small village, with a shared universe inside...
Ryoma Collia-Suzuki says:
How beautifully put,
How beautifully put, Luciana. I have never heard anyone describe it that way before. It's a description that I will not forget. Thanks. :)
I feel our closeness to nature, very acutely, and am grateful for it. Like Mary, a fellow Piscean, I need to be close to water, wherever I am. Gina is the same, as a Cancerian, so we are fortunate to have the same draw towards the oceans, lakes and rivers of the world.
Luciana Lhullier says:
Oh, you guys have a whole,
Oh, you guys have a whole, beautiful ocean inside! I have read many of your posts...
Ryoma Collia-Suzuki says:
Crikey, what a kind,
Crikey, what a kind, generous and beautiful thing to say. Thanks Luciana.
Mary Wilkinson says:
I sometimes feel like the
I sometimes feel like the surf that crashes on a beach in California, other times it can be more like the Dead Sea!
Lynn Henriksen says:
Swimming in my ocean
Luciana,
I like the little fish that is you,
whom I think has just begun to swim in my ocean.
Only we all know that isn't true.
I didn't know you swam there,
because I hadn't, yet,
been awakened.
Now I understand.
You are a majestic whale
cruising the deep blue sea.
Luciana Lhullier says:
Lynn, this is such a
Lynn, this is such a beautiful poem! I´m honored... :-)
You know, I have great admiration for whales. Symbolically, it´s in their womb that they embrace and keep for the time needed the ones who want some time out of their confusing lives - the belly of the whale.
Thank you so much for this! You made my week, which wasn´t a very easy one... :-)
Lynn Henriksen says:
That poem was to thank
That poem was to thank you for being who you are! And I appreciate your kind words. I hope this coming week will be an easier one for you, my new friend.