Beautiful as a new notebook

                  I had no idea  about what to post. But I schism that I would end today with laziness. I considered  several alternatives, but all  seemed  inadequate.

                  I gave  up the  post  and I read  about  astrology. I read  descriptions  referring Pluto, Venus, Leo, Saturn quadratures etc. I had to write  something  about  association  Mars/Venus and went  to the box  of draft papers. some astral position  favored  me because  the back of  draft  paper  brought  a piece of    "Morte e vida severina"( *1).  It is the moment  when   the son of Severino(*2)  is born. Even  if the child  is born into  great poverty, his birth is welcomed, yet to emerge  in the  harshest , painful or uninviting  environments.

                 Once again  the formula  of chance  helped me. The poem  ended  with  my laziness  and stimulated  the desire  to write. I love in João Cabral (*3), his great  ability  to wxplore the word  getting  most of  rhythm, sound and feel. Knowing  that all the  work  of João Cabral  is masterful, I have great admiration  for  "Morte e vida severina".  The saga  of  Severino has a lot of  purity  and strenght  of the earth  condensed  in his words. Poignant  account  of how  much pain  inhabits  the Brazilian soil,  with his  people  abandoned  to their fate.

                  On draft paper,  the passage  where the  neighbors  talk about  the beautiful of the newborn. Beautiful  is not striking  in this individual, but  concernes  what this  birth  means for life.  I've  seen  lots  of  pictures   and  comparisons  expressing  beauty. Often  these  images using  symbols  of  grandeur,  distinction, or anything  that is  primarily beautiful. But how to speak  of the  beauty  that persists  in the ugliness? The situation  did not ask  for great  images,  because  it was  not  an ostensible  beauty. Only  the sensitivity  and  soul  can see  the beauty  insinuating   through  the narrow  opening  in the body  of  misery. Then, ready,  new notebook. The simplicity and novelty. It served as a glove. Everyone  has  experienced  this. How much promised! Neat little  letters  on the first page thinking  that will be  like this until the end. Even though  the mess  has begin  on the third  page, the first is always  a project, a moment of renewal, the start. This time  everything  will work out.  As a new course, new learning, a new home,  new car, new love. It is something  new that one or two months  may have  been  lost in the  confusion  of everyday life. But the feeling of the first page is actually very pleasure.

                  Ever since  I read   this  poem  for the  first  many years  ago,  this image  of new  notebook  was pratically  stamped on my memory. I think I like notebooks.

                  I am  certain  about  one thing. What  I could  not  express,  the verses speak  for  themselves.

___ Belo porque tem do novo

       a surpresa  e a alegria

___Belo como a coisa nova

       na prateleira até então vazia.

___como qualquer coisa nova

       inaugurando o seu dia.

       Ou como o caderno  novo

       quando a gente o principia.

*1 -Vida e Morte severina : metrical theatre play.

        This  theatre play  recounts  the  saga  of   Severino  who  escapes   from the  drought  walking  miles to reach  the city  where   he also face  serious  problems of social exclusion.

*2-Severino: male name

*3-João Cabral de Melo Neto: Brazilian poet  born  in northeastern Brazil