O Ex Estranho

by Paulo Leminski

Portugese

Genres: Poetry

Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Paulo Leminski Filho (Curitiba, August 24, 1944 – Curitiba, June 7, 1989) was a Brazilian poet and writer. He took pride in being of mixed Polish and African descent.
His first small-press collection came out in the late 1970s. Although he never finished college, by the 1980s he knew Japanese, French, and English well enough to do translations. His most noted renderings are of Alfred Jarry, James Joyce, John Fante, John Lennon, Samuel Beckett, and Yukio Mishima. He also helped to produce a number of albums and was said to have taught judo.
Leminski was a prolific poet, wrote experimental prose / essays, occasionally wrote songs, and was a cultural agitator. He was the leading voice of his generation, having followed different paths of Brazilian lyric from the early 1960s through the late 1980s. His style of poetry has been compared to that of American poet e. e. cummings (song writer / singer Luciana Souza on the Tom Schanbel show on KCRW 89.9 fm 06/24/2009). He contributed to the journal Invenção, while still a teen and would maintain a strong sense of visuality and layout in his poetic output. Some of Leminski's poetry of the late 1970s/early 1980s has been linked to the controversial labe of poesia marginal. But his dedication to resolution in language set him apart. His collections Caprichos & Relaxos (1983) and Distraídos venceremos (1987) are landmarks. In the latter, his rigor and intertextual urges are clear. A neo-baroque narrative, Catatau (1975), has become a cult book. His home town Curitiba has sponsored a yearly celebration of his legacy and cultural vibrancy in Brazil. The event's name Perhappiness is taken from a one-liner by the poet.

Reviews

[Adriana Scarpin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amar você é coisa de minutos
A morte é menos que teu beijo
Tão bom ser teu que sou
Eu a teus pés derramado
Pouco resta do que fui
De ti depende ser bom ou ruim
Serei o que achares conveniente
Serei para ti mais que um cão
Uma sombra que te aquece
Um deus que não esquece
Um servo que não diz não
Morto teu pai serei teu irmão
Direi os versos que quiseres
Esquecerei todas as mulheres
Serei tanto e tudo e todos
Vais ter nojo de eu ser isso
E estarei a teu serviço
Enquanto durar meu corpo
Enquanto me correr nas veias
O rio vermelho que se inflama
Ao ver teu rosto feito tocha
Serei teu rei teu pão tua coisa tua rocha
Sim, eu estarei aqui

[mandy moita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apesar de ser um livro póstumo, com poesias selecionadas por Áurea e Alice Ruiz, a presença de Leminski é muito forte neste livro. A Parte de Am/or é um acalento no coração. Que cara incrível Leminski foi.

[misael · Rating 4 out of 5]

mas não
tinha que ser entre nós
esse fogo
esse ferro
essa pedreira
extremos
chamando extremos na distância

[Alex Greenblatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you hated the language of Portugeese, chances are that after you’ve read Leminski, you’ll love it. He has so much fun with language that even an intermediate speaker, such as myself, had a great time with his prose.

[Samuel Martins · Rating 5 out of 5]

assim ó 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

primeira vez lendo Leminski e com certeza não será a última!! Amei

[Clarissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

não houve sim que eu dissesse
que não fosse o começo
de um esse o esse

[Giselle · Rating 5 out of 5]

São recortes de poesias do Leminski, selecionadas pela maravilhosa Alice Ruiz, sua mulher. Como sempre ele é ninja poeta e surpreendente.