Conceiçao Lima

(Sao Tome y Prince, 1962)

Another Landscape

Of the smooth extension of the sands
Of the coconut palm’s regal waves
Of the orchard’s ceaseless scent
Of the blue so blue of the sea
Of the sunset’s sparkling light
Of the seed’s agile dream
Of all this and more
The round moon, a thousand orchids, the sugar cane fields
You shall speak.
I shall speak of the blood that floods the earth’s veins
of the groans that support the city columns
and of the dead words, murdered,
which are reborn ceaselessly
from the impure voice of my people.