by Rosangelina Baptista

A razão endeusa a água.
Naturalmente atraída pelo elemento água,
tanto quanto pela claridade, brilho da luz.  

Eu própria, criança do Amazonas,
Tornei-me um’alma pária...
Só pra ver em Junho,
o Rio Mandovi.  

Pela razão,
—não por aquilo
que constantemente a nega
dentro da gente--
nossa última respiração
quiçá  pudesse ser
a de um barco a velejar.  

Nossas águas salobras,
calmas e cheias de lembranças,
seguidas por benevolente
grande chuva e vento de verão.
A matéria remanescente,
de todas as fontes visíveis,
fluidas em formas,
absorvidas numa única arca-esponjosa
sob a Ilha de Chorão,
revitalizando um poderoso aquífero.  

reason worships water—
as naturally attracted to the water element
as to the clarity, brilliance of the light.

I myself, an Amazon child,
became an outcast soul,
just to know the spells of
Mandovi in June.

by reason, and not by
that thing which
constantly contradicts reason
within,
shouldn’t our last breath be
easy as sailing a boat?

our waters, brackishly calm
and recollected,
Followed by a copious,
benevolent, windy summer rain.
and those particles of matter that
remain fluid in form
from all visible sources
converging in one solely sponge-like trove
underneath the Chorão Island,
revitalising some wondrous aquifer.

Rosangelina Baptista is an American-Brazilian, new aspiring literary voice of multicultural heritage. Based in Central Florida as a bilingual freelance writer with interests in poetry, oriental art, Eastern philosophy, and cognitive sciences, her recent efforts have focused on promoting poetry and mindfulness for public schools and reviving Indo-Portuguese literature. Her essay ‘Bojja Tharakam: A Brazilian Perspective’ was published by Bojja Tharakam Trust, Hyderabad, 2018. Her unpublished poetry manuscript titled ‘Seven Saris to Maria’ features Goa and is dedicated to the artist Angelo da Fonseca (featured in this issue).