Esta é a madrugada que eu esperava O dia inicial inteiro e limpo Onde emergimos da noite e do silêncio E livres habitamos a substância do tempo
My title is the opening line of Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen’s poem – 25th April. Born this day in 1919, she is considered one of the most important Portuguese poets of the 20th century. Much of her work was about the sea however this poem was of course about the revolution. She was a key figure in supporting the movement against Salazar’s regime. As well as her sea and protest poetry she wrote Children’s Books, of which some I believe are still a part of the Portuguese curriculum today. You can find her work on display at the Oceanarium in Lisboa, there is a bust in the botanical gardens in her home town of Porto and one of the stunning viewpoints in Lisboa is now named after her as is the Municipal Library of Loulé.
This is the dawn that I was waiting for
The first, whole and clear day
Where we emerged from the night and the silence
And free, we live in the substance of time
Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen 6 November 1919 – 2 July 2004
