Happy Birthday to my June Friends
A wish from my heart on the birthday of Fernando Pessoa
Hello, everyone. <3 How is your Thursday? I hope you’re feeling good, wherever you are in the world. I’ve had a nice morning so far on this sunny day. I met my friend Dave Hill at the dog park with his pooch. It was one of those neighborly NYC mornings, running into older and more recent friends, realizing those you have in common, learning new updates on the go, making little plans that actually do come to fruition. :) After I’m done with my post I’ll head over to the Elizabeth Street Garden to plan the details for the Summer Solstice event next week. Come by if you’re around! :)
Today June 13, is a special day as it’s the birthday of Fernando Pessoa, one of my favorite poets, thinkers, and figures.
The first time I read his words was on a plane: ‘Forever Someone Else: Selected Poems’ translated by Richard Zenith. I read it from start to finish without a break (there was Portuguese on one side and English on the other, so it wasn’t the biggest read), mesmerized by his words and the philosophy behind them. From then on, I loved him dearly, collecting more of his books, receiving them as precious gifts, studying him, and imagining walking down the street with him, reveling in a the magic of a strange and imaginary friendship.
A few months ago I ordered the recently published biography of him. It’s 1120 pages and I haven’t started it yet, but I know it will be great because it’s also written by Richard Zenith. He is another person I would really love to meet. The way he organized the book of poems I have is so wonderful to follow - breaking them up by Fernando’s three main heteronyms, describing their different personalities, writing styles, backgrounds and biographies. The three figures, Alberto Caeiro, Ricardo Reis and Álvaro de Campo, are each unique, different from each other, and I loved being introduced to them and to Fernando as presented by Richard Zenith, feeling a rich understanding of them all as distinctly separate writers with different voices and points of view. I feel like writing in this way could be something incredible, to open up different parts of the mind, to crack things open and express ideas in unexpected ways.
“How do I write in the name of these three? Caeiro, through sheer and unexpected inspiration, without knowing or even suspecting that I'm going to write in his name. Ricardo Reis, after an abstract meditation, which suddenly takes concrete shape in an ode. Campos, when I feel a sudden impulse to write and don't know what. (My semi-heteronym Bernardo Soares, who in many ways resembles Álvaro de Campos, always appears when I'm sleepy or drowsy, so that my qualities of inhibition and rational thought are suspended; his prose is an endless reverie. He's a semi-heteronym because his personality, although not my own, doesn't differ from my own but is a mere mutilation of it. He's me without my rationalism and emotions.”
I think often about the philosophies of Fernando, Alberto, Ricardo, and Alvaro. Some of their views of life and meaning making are so vastly different from my own. Sometimes the ideas would really shake up my own views on destiny and fate, on magic and life, on the meaning of everything. They could be seen as shocking or scary thoughts, nihilistic some might say. But somehow instead, I find it all very comforting, freeing, relaxing. It’s hard to describe, but if you’ve read these poems maybe you feel the same and know exactly what I’m talking about. It isn’t to say that I always feel the same way or share in all of the beliefs presented, but reading them reminds me of the vast possibilities of everything, and somehow takes away a little bit of pressure. Though most of the time, the thoughts presented are so universally shared, and written in such mindful and personal ways you feel as though it were a tender and sacred conversation between yourself and him. As though the words were plucked from the garden of shared minds, and only because of these pages you’re seeing them presented so clearly. And it goes straight to your heart - comforting validation from a friend from another time.
So today I’m thinking of Fernando on the day he was born in Lisbon, a place where I have had such memorable experiences, where even the most simple of moments can be precious and unique. Fernando is magical and strange, a philosopher and alchemist, connected to another realm perhaps without even realizing it fully. Here below are some Fernando quotes. Please use them today to journal, free-write, to write a poem or prose, to create something inspired by them - a drawing, painting, collage, anything. And if you aren’t feeling in the mood to output anything today, just to think about them, see what they bring up, allow them to bring up any new thoughts throughout the day. If you like, please share in the comments anything you wrote or are thinking about, or any Fernando (or the 3 others) poems or lines that are meaningful and personally resonant to you.
“Writing is like paying myself a formal visit…”
“My soul is a hidden orchestra; I know not what instruments, what fiddlestrings and harps, drums and tamboura I sound and clash inside myself. All I hear is the symphony.”
“I wasn’t meant for reality, but life came and found me.”
“There are no norms. All people are exceptions to a rule that doesn’t exist.”
“To be great, be whole;
Exclude nothing, exaggerate nothing that is not you.
Be whole in everything. Put all you are
Into the smallest thing you do.
So, in each lake, the moon shines with splendor
Because it blooms up above.”
“Man shouldn’t be able to see his own face – there’s nothing more sinister. Nature gave him the gift of not being able to see it, and of not being able to stare into his own eyes.
Only in the water of rivers and ponds could he look at his face. And the very posture he had to assume was symbolic. He had to bend over, stoop down, to commit the ignominy of beholding himself.
The inventor of the mirror poisoned the human heart.”
“I’m losing my taste for everything, including even my taste for finding everything tasteless.”
“When asleep we all become children again. Perhaps because in the state of slumber we can do no wrong and are unconscious of life, the greatest criminal and most self-absorbed egotist are holy, by a natural magic, as long as they're sleeping.”
“Life hurls us like a stone, and we sail through the air saying, "look at me move.”
“We are two abysses - a well staring at the sky.”
“..my sadness is comforting
Because it’s right and natural..”
“I've always been an ironic dreamer, unfaithful to my inner promises.
Like a complete outsider, a casual observer of whom I thought I was,
I've always enjoyed watching my daydreams go down in defeat.
I was never convinced of what I believed in.
I filled my hands with sand, called it gold, and opened them up to let it slide through.
Words were my only truth.
When the right words were said, all was done; the rest was the sand that had always been.”
“Life is full of paradoxes, as roses are of thorns.”
“Be what I think? But I think of being so many things!”
“If after I die, people want to write my biography, there is nothing simpler. They only need two dates: the date of my birth and the date of my death. Between one and another, every day is mine.”
Thank you so very much for reading. Now I’m going to put on my Fernando sneakers and get ready to walk over to the garden. Happy birthday to him and happy birthday to all of my June friends. My birthday is June 27, so I’m thinking a lot about the year behind and the year ahead. I’m so glad to be able to share with you all. Have such a wonderful day and please share any comments or be in touch with any thoughts. Lots of sunny thoughts to everyone. <3
Very cool shoes! Thanks for the June birthday wishes. My BD is tomorrow. Perhaps I’ll give myself the gift of one of his books.
Thank you for this lovely introduction to these amazing writers. I love traveling along a path with you as you explain the personalities of these writers.
I too am a June baby. My birthday is June 20th, this year it falls on the summer solstice. The next day is a full moon and I understand there are many planets in Gemini. I want to send my best wishes to the health and continual life of your special garden. Much respect Viviane DeLeon. Peace and love with poetry