Tomasso Dec 31, 2018:

Fistoria Dom Pedro II História do Brasil, portugal, a poesia muitas vezes foi escrita em francês, Portugal foi visto como extensão da França sob influência do Duc de Pombal, família de Orleans (Bourbon, Louis xiv) A poesia se torna canção, canção recente de Gilberto Gil Touchez pas Mon Pote, cantou em francês. Pessoas podem fazer referências a Spinosa, les acidentes de l'existência, etc. Emperador do Brasil Orleans e Bragança

Tomasso Dec 30, 2018:

pouco mais poetico? True Portuguese, proud and tall?
Portuguese I am
Accidental perchance, my existence, hair blonde, eyes blue, land Portugal
I think thus I am,
I am therfore I speak

Tomasso Dec 30, 2018:

cogito ergo sum? True Portuguese, in name and in deed? Portuguese I am
Accidents of existence, hair blonde, eyes blue, land Portugal
I think thus I am,
(Cogito ergo sum?) I am therfore I speak

JohnMcDove Dec 29, 2018:

You're welcome. Maybe the footnote will do the trick. Otherwise, giving the freedom to the final reader to interpret it, seems a good option...

Oliver Simões (asker) Dec 29, 2018:

@John and Katarina, thank you both for your invaluable feedback. John, it makes total sense what you said. I'll follow my original instinct and use this translation: "I have to express myself". I thought about adding a little footnote explaining that this translation is not set in stone and other nuances of meaning are possible, (e.g. "speak my self"). In this case, it's probably better to leave it up to the reader to construe the meaning that makes most sense to them. What do you guys think? Translating Pessoa has been a great experience, quite challenging at times, but I'm done with Alberto Caeiro. Literally...

Katarina Peters Dec 29, 2018:

@John your latest option would be the best fit after all :)

JohnMcDove Dec 29, 2018:

The idea of "speak my self" is an option that may work. I don't know all the context of Pessoa's poetry, but I was hinting in this direction when I gave the option "to speak myself", in the sense of "express myself", as in defn. 5 in the Priberam dictionary. Obviously, "my self" as in "expressing my inner self" in an "outward manner", "I have to express my self" is definitely a "must" and a "task" that many writers and poets diligently perform... On second (3rd or 4th...) thoughts, maybe it is slightly more ambiguous "I have to speak myself". Even what Tomasso suggests as in "I am who I am" rings good conceptually. Probably the "problem" and the beauty of the poetry is that it can convey a "kaleidoscope" of nuances (maybe I am exaggerating a bit here), and every reader can get a different shade of meaning... At any rate, looking at all the options, "I must express myself" as you suggest, seems the most accurate one, and the one that could somewhat embrace the rest of the options. I.e., "in order to express myself, I need to reflect, and think, talk to myself and have some introversion with myself, to be able to then express to others what I discovered deep inside..." Of course, there is a limit to introversion! ;-)

Oliver Simões (asker) Dec 29, 2018:

Thank you all I'm leaning towards definitions #4 and 5 in the Priberam dictionary: https://dicionario.priberam.org/falar-se Most likely "express oneself" unless something more appropriate comes up. This is what I have in mind:
"I was born to speak, I have to / I must express myself." It could be a reference to the language of poetry (specifically), or for communication in general. I also thought of "speak my self" (three words). I'm looking at his poems more closely to see if this makes sense. Any further comments and/or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Tomasso Dec 29, 2018:

A patriot? Am I a die hard Patriot? (or north american?)
No way. I am Portuguese (American)
I was born in Portugal (America) blond hair and little blue eyses
Everyone has to speak (something) and I am who I am,



Somente uma surgencia, o significato tem de ver com identidade?? Eu nao sou, seguramente e uma mala confusao que eu fiz.