Manoel died

Manoel died
and the world
is too big too understand
my tears
and too small to embrace
his words.

he taught me
to be free and incomplete.
Manoel was wise.

i am like him:
i need to be the other
and use butterflies
to talk about infinities.

Manoel used to see things like birds do.
i have been trying hard to be a bird.

Manoel liked small things:
those things that fit the silence
when it is made of foam.

i am crying as i write this piece of life
and i know Manoel is not dead.
not for me, not for us,
not for the insects and the streams.

karla bardanza

Manoel de Barros is a Brazilian poet. He died yesterday. He is one of my favourite poets, my Master, my north.

http://karlabardanzapoems.blogspot.com
http://poeticpostcards.blogspot.com