1926
Born in Sao Tome. Studied in Portugal. Teacher. Former Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of Education and Culture for Sao Tome and Principe. Contributed to various literary publications. Poet.
Coconut and palm trees of Native Land
Sea bluish isles lost in the gathering of centuries
Dense vegetation on the vast horizon of our dreams.
Verdure, ocean, tropical heat
Bewailing the deep thirst of the salty sea
In the paradoxical desert of human beaches
Thirsty for space and life
In the bitter songs of the ossobô bird
Announcing the fall of the rains
Sweeping heavily over the charred land
Saturated with the burning heat
But famished by human irradiation
Paradoxical isles to the south of the Sahara
The human deserts clamour
In the virgin forest
Of your plainless destinies...

É nosso o Solo Sagrado da Terra
© Instituto Camões, 2001