Esta semana iremos prestar homenagem ao escritor Alfred Lewis, natura da ilha das Flores, e que viveu mais de 75% da sua vida no Centro do Vale de São Joaquim, aqui na Califórnia. Teremos uma série de textos sobre o poeta/escritor e alguns textos de próprio autor. Terminaremos na sexta-feira, com um ensaio da poeta e co-curadora da série Alfred Lewsi Bilingual Reading RoseAngelina Baptista, a quem agradecemos toda a sua colaboração e dedicação. Alfred lewis faleceu nesta segunda semana de janeiro do ano de 1977.
This week (January 6th-10th of 2025), Filamentos by Bruma Publications from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI at Fresno State) and with the collaboration of the Luso-American Education Foundation will present a tribute to Alfred Lewis, an Azorean writer who spent the majority of his life in the Central San Joaquim Valley. We will feature essays in Portuguese and some works in English from an array of writers and poets, ending with an essay from poet RoseAngelina Baptista, co-curator of the Alfred Lewis Reading Series.
We begin with the poet in his own words.
BAPTISM
The priest stood before the font,
bald, wearing white, to baptize
the little child who was now sleeping
in the warm, tender arms of his mother.
Parents and godparents waited solemnly
before the font, which was painted pink
for the moment when the priest would
pour the baptismal water
on the little child who was now sleeping,
making him a Christian like the rest of us.
As they left the church,
a blackbird chirped happily,
greeting the little Christian
who was sleeping as if nothing had happened
in the warm, tender arms of his mother.
Translated by poet RoseAngelina Baptista
This week-long series is put forth with the collaboration of poet RoseAngelina Baptista and the Luso-American Education Foundation.
Filamentos (artes e letras) 