João Cabral de Melo Neto

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João Cabral de Melo Neto


Born
in Recife, Brazil
January 09, 1920

Died
October 09, 1999

Genre

Influences
Stéphane Mallarmé, Paul Valéry, Piet Mondrian, Marianne Moore, Le Corb ...more


João Cabral de Melo Neto was born in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, and is considered one of the greatest Brazilian poets of all time.

He is often quoted saying "I try not to perfume the flower". His works are said to be dry, devoid of exaggerated emotions that are usually associated with poetry, sticking usually to images and actions and physical descriptions rather than feelings. The image of an engineer designing a building is often used to describe his poetry. It usually follows a strict meter and assonant rhymes.

He worked as a diplomat for most of his life.

In 1990, he won the Camões Prize, the greatest prize in literature of the Portuguese language. In 1992, João Cabral received the Neustadt International Prize for Literature, which s
...more

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More books by João Cabral de Melo Neto…
Quotes by João Cabral de Melo Neto  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“Instead of the final judgement, what worries me is the final dream.”
João Cabral de Melo Neto
tags: fear

“Forge your iron; shape it by force,
not into a flower you already know
but into what can also be a flower
if you think it is and it is so.”
João Cabral de Melo Neto, Education by Stone: Selected Poems

“—— Essa cova em que estás,
com palmos medida,
é a cota menor
que tiraste em vida.
—— é de bom tamanho,
nem largo nem fundo,
é a parte que te cabe
neste latifúndio.
—— Não é cova grande.
é cova medida,
é a terra que querias
ver dividida.”
João Cabral de Melo Neto

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