MARIA LUCILIA F. MELEIRO

MARIA LUCILIA F. MELEIRO

Pandora And The Man Of Hope

Pandora, the one of all gifts, the primaeval woman opened her vessel and poured deadly poisons all over the world. On the greenish bottom, only one remained: Elpis, Hope. Is it a drug we must avoid, or is it the only thing that keeps us alive?

The Man Of Hope

didn't allow someone or something taking hold of him

he set himself completely free and went searching

for voluptuousness some of it really existing

or partially invented by his imagination.

He went searching for the light in the dark night

then he drank strong wines, just as the brave ones use to drink

when they are searching for pleasures

Oh you mortal

extreme lights were not conceived for bodies so shy

to burn in the fire of vivid pleasures

remember the desire that shines for you in someone's eyes

clearly

which some casual setback destroyed.

While walking along the way of dawn

see that everything is covered

by the golden charm of the Goddess

and that nothing vile or barren survives.

Keep that wisdom at hand and search renewal in Hope

and may your eternal fire illuminate again

the cosy vessel of the forever living Pandora.

The Day After

The harp of the wind

The fingers of tides

The blood that guides us

Comes from the stars

In the lovely perfection of flesh

Painted on the face

Our melancholy is revealed

And the full chant

Stretches along the cold quietness

In the suffocating heat

Of a no return trip

The Angel Of Goodwill

The Angel od Goodwill has landed in the city tonight.

He carries a fiery sword

Wears appalling golden garments

The intensity of scents around him is exhilarating.

The Angel comes to repair injustice

To promote virtue

To fight for truth

A highly competent fellow

Who can surely do his job

waited for so long.

In times of despair

The Angel of Goodwill will be on duty

reminding an ancient prophecy.

So the Angel stayed forever waiting in the sky

the cosmic order to use his purifying sword

and put an end to all evil.

As time went by the Angel of Goodwill

was represented in temples all over the world

and suffered several restorations

to regain his somehow lost splendour.

Disease, epidemics, war

threat the humankind

bad crops, famine, countless difficulties,

viruses, alarming death rates

forced a remodelling of everything

and the Angel purifying sword

was replaced by a modest weapon

imposed by unfair circumstances.

Nowadays the Angel of Goodwill

is drowned in the mists of oblivion.

Nevertheless ashore

the lovemaking of a young couple

might be of some solace and hope

when striving for survival.

MARIA LUCILIA F. MELEIRO

MARIA LUCILIA F. MELEIRO was born and lives in Lisbon where she graduated in Literature and Linguistics. She published five historical novels, a book of essay on mythology, two poetry books and several theatre plays. She was awarded several literary prizes, and, in 2019, two poetry prizes in France. Her literary work has been published in several languages, being represented in a large number of world poetic anthologies.