I have been in Lisbon, Portugal for one week so far, teaching in a new international literary program, Disquiet: Dzanc Books International Literary Program. I am guest blogging for Best American Poetry about the experience while I’m here, and I will list the posts to date below.
Today’s post concerns, among other topics, an important contemporary Portuguese poet, Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen who had this to say about poetry. “Poetry,” she says, “is something inexhaustible, something vital. It begins with our relationship to things, to daily living, and this relationship is mythic. Without mythic thought, man is unable to inhabit the world.”
(by Sophia´s translator Richard Zenith).
I will post more blog links as they’re written. I’m having a blast!
Sally Ashton
Santa Clara County Poet Laureate
“Without mythic thought, man is unable to inhabit the world.” Wow! How great to hear of a ‘new’ Portuguese poet with this super quote. Sophia obviously rules. Thanks for sharing and so happy to hear you are having a wonderful time! Keep the posts/discoveries coming 🙂
kcm