The poem above is from the book Through the Walls of Solitude, a poetry collection from Álamo Oliveira, published by Bruma Publications and Letras Lavadas. Available here in the US and Canada through Letras Lavadas in the Azores, in any other part of Portugal, and in any other European Union country.

Lighthouse of the Word: Álamo Oliveira at 80
As we celebrate the 80th birthday of Álamo Oliveira—poet, novelist, playwright, essayist, and chronicler—FILAMENTOS honors the luminous path he has carved through Portuguese and Azorean literature. Born on May 2, 1945, in the heart of the Azores, Oliveira’s work transcends insularity and time, offering readers a language of resistance, memory, and profound human connection everywhere. Across genres, his voice rings clear in its defense of freedom, its insistence on justice, and its courage in dismantling taboos. His words are a persistent call to empathy and action, whether in verse or prose.

Oliveira’s literature is a beacon—a lighthouse in the storm of forgetting—guiding us not only through the landscapes of the Azores but also through the complex terrain of conscience and collective memory. His universal writing reveals the intimate wounds and dreams of his people, while at the same time inviting readers from all walks of life to confront their own truths. As FILAMENTOS publishes tributes, translations, and reflections on his prolific oeuvre, we celebrate Álamo Oliveira not only for the depth and breadth of his work but also for his unwavering belief in literature as a force to humanize us all.