Augusto dos Anjos

The poem below was written by Augusto dos Anjos at the end of the nineteenth century. His literary work until the decade of 30 was used by medicine schools, because the language of the poet, as you’ll see later, is rich in biological and chemical elements.

His metaphors and synesthetic give a tone “rotten” in his poetry. In one of them, describes the body of one of his sons who was born and died soon after. Read some of his poetry is like walking by a cemetery or a morgue where the dead is alive and the living are killing each other.

His pessimistic view of reality combined with a scientific language, have caused amazement and horror into Brazilian society at that time (1890) and only after 50 years after died he was recognized as it should.

In “Intimate Verses,” considered by many a kind of summary of his literary work, Augusto dos Anjos attacks the hypocrisy of the Brazilian society of that time. But not only that, because he believed that all mankind acted like that, kidding each other: who smiles at you friendly is the same that will try to destroy you later.

I must confess that his work had and still has a very big impact on me, although I am not paranoid like him. But the fact is that every day, humanity has been shown as the portrait of the decay of a species, something that devours itself in the search for more immediate and futile pleasures (consumerism is an example).

Anyway, when you’re kissing someone else, remember this poetry and try not to vomit.

Intimate Verses

You see? Nobody witnessed the tremendous
Burial of your last chimera.
Only the ingratitude - the panther —
It was your comrade!

You get used to you the mud that you wait!
The man, who, in this miserable land,
Lives among beasts, feels inevitable
Also need to be beast.

Take a match. Lights your cigarette!
The kiss, friend, is the eve of sputum,
The pat hand that is the same as stoning.

If someone to your question still penalty wound,
Stone vile hand that cherishes you,
Sputum that mouth kiss you!