National Days of Mourning for the Fire

A few days ago, a bolt of lightning struck a dry patch of land and ignited a giant fire.

If you want to send a message to the Portuguese Consulate in Boston, reach out to:

consulado dot boston AT mne dot pt

Below is what I sent:

My dearest Portugal,

May you never fully be consumed by flames.  

The flood and the earthquakes couldn't defeat you.  

Always, may you explore the rest of the planet, always sending out roots, like a giant-strong-inflammable-tree to ground yourself in the earth.

May the earth receive you and your people, in beauty, in gentleness. 

The smoke will dissipate, the skies will be clear once more.

May your future be clean with oxygen and green

and may the waters quench the thirst of the heat

and float your roots and tendrils

across

to connect the rest of the world.

Love, 

Your daughter and granddaughter and great grand-daughter and more,

Me

Portugal Day & Poetry!!

I'm experiencing many saudades over all the pictures of SOPAS on my Facebook feed.  So to remedy that, I try to take a quick tour of Portuguese poetry on the internet.

Here is an article about Feminist Poets, written by someone from UMass Dartmouth (one of MANY of my alma maters!!) :
Back into the Future : Feminism in Portuguese Women's Poetry since the 1970s

From Canada, an interview with Vamberto Freitas (are we related??)

And if you want to know about Portugal Day here in NY, well-you have to go to Newark, NJ.

Drink to Luís de Camões and read Os Lusiadas, if you get the chance to be inspired!!