Some words build bridges, and some words build homes.

Before I Write

(April 27, 2023)

Before I write,
I shall raise a house without a door,
That every dream may freely enter—
All shall be received.
Long paths, narrow and severe,
Great roads that curve and stray.

Before I write,
I shall welcome to my dwelling
Flowers and garlands, dogs and gentle cats,
Who, in the hush of words,
Soft as clouds at rest,
Give memory its wings.

Before I write,
All beings of radiant light
Shall walk within my house—
Those clothed in many colors,
Who bring, beyond their smiles,
Their anguish woven through with pain.

Before I write,
My house shall be the Heaven
Of pure and beautiful images,
Found in distant, gracious lands,
Dreams veiled softly
In reverent light.

Of Winds and Time
(January 20, 2023)

The cold of time
Enters the heart of humankind,
Chilling the soul,
Silencing speech,
Setting smiles apart,
Concealing ancient wounds.

The cold of time
Alters the world—
Plants once clothed in leaf and shelter
Now stand bare and mournful;
They rehearse death,
They gather themselves again,
And rise renewed.

In the cold of time,
In the hour of isolation,
Voices fall to silence,
Yet breath remains.
In the cold of time.

Translated by Diniz Borges

Some words build bridges, and some words build homes.

The House of Many Shores is such a dwelling — a place where the Portuguese language, scattered by winds of history and tides of migration, gathers under one roof. From Lisbon to Luanda, from Rio to Maputo, from the Atlantic islands to the shores of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific, the Portuguese-speaking world carries with it a mosaic of voices: voices of longing and laughter, of exile and return, of memory and hope.

This series opens those doors to English-speaking readers, offering not just translations but acts of hospitality — poems that invite us to sit at the table of many lands, to hear the cadences of a language that has crossed oceans and centuries. In this house, every shore has its place, and every poem is a window to a different horizon.

Here, the sea does not divide; it connects. The language does not limit; it expands. And poetry, as always, reminds us that we belong to more than one place, more than one story, more than one world.

Vision

The House of Many Shores envisions a world where the poetry of the Portuguese-speaking universe — from Portugal to Brazil, from Africa to Asia, and across the diaspora — is heard, valued, and celebrated in English. By bridging continents through verse, the series aspires to create a shared cultural home where readers everywhere can experience the richness, diversity, and humanity of Lusophone voices.

Mission

The mission of The House of Many Shores is to gather, translate, and publish the poetic traditions of the Portuguese-speaking world in English, making them accessible to a global audience. This series:

• Preserves and amplifies the literary heritage of Lusophone communities.
• Builds bridges across cultures, continents, and generations through the universal language of poetry.
• Honors diversity, showcasing voices from Portugal, Brazil, Africa, Asia, and the diaspora.
• Inspires a sense of belonging, offering the Portuguese-speaking diaspora in North America and beyond a lyrical return to roots while inviting all readers into a shared poetic home.

We thank the Luso-American Education Foundation for its support of this project.