1821 (do espanto de viver) - Oh as casas, as casas, as casas

OH AS CASAS AS CASAS AS CASAS

Oh as casas as casas as casas
as casas nascem vivem e morrem
Enquanto vivas distinguem-se umas das outras
distinguem-se designadamente pelo cheiro
variam até de sala pra sala
As casas que eu fazia em pequeno
onde estarei eu hoje em pequeno?
Onde estarei aliás eu dos versos daqui a pouco?
Terei eu casa onde reter tudo isto
ou serei sempre somente esta instabilidade?
As casas essas parecem estáveis
mas são tão frágeis as pobres casas
Oh as casas as casas as casas
mudas testemunhas da vida
elas morrem não só ao ser demolidas
elas morrem com a morte das pessoas
As casas de fora olham-nos pelas janelas
Não sabem nada de casas os construtores
os senhorios os procuradores
Os ricos vivem nos seus palácios
mas a casa dos pobres é todo o mundo
os pobres sim têm o conhecimento das casas
os pobres esses conhecem tudo
Eu amei as casas os recantos das casas
Visitei casas apalpei casas
Só as casas explicam que exista
uma palavra como intimidade
Sem casas não haveria ruas
as ruas onde passamos pelos outros
mas passamos principalmente por nós
Na casa nasci e hei-de morrer
na casa sofri convivi amei
na casa atravessei as estações
respirei – ó vida simples problema de respiração
Oh as casas as casas as casas.

1973, Ruy Belo, From: Todos os Poemas,

Publisher: Assírio & Alvim, Lisbon, 2000, ISBN: 972-37-0617-2

OH HOUSES HOUSES HOUSES

Oh houses houses houses
houses are born and live and die
While alive they stand out from each other
they stand out namely by their smell
they differ even from room to room
Ah the houses I built in my childhood
where might I be today in my childhood?
Where might I be in a little while from these verses?
Will I have a house to store all of this in
or will I always be just this instability?
Unlike me houses seem stable
but they’re so fragile poor houses
Oh houses houses houses
silent witnesses of life
they die not only when demolished
they die with the death of people
Houses look at us through their windows
Builders landlords and real estate agents
know nothing about houses
Rich people have their palaces
but the house of the poor is the whole world
it’s the poor who know about houses
the poor know everything
I loved houses their nooks and corners
I visited houses I fondled houses
Only houses can explain
why a word like intimacy exists
Without houses there would be no streets
the streets where we cross paths with others
and especially with ourselves
In a house I was born and I’ll die
in a house I suffered I lived with others I loved
in a house I went through the seasons
I breathed – O life simple problem of respiration
Oh houses houses houses