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Fernando Pessoa

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     Fernando Pessoa (1892-1935) was probably one of the most extraordinary poets who ever lived and has often been ranged in Portugal as second only to Camoes, author of the great Portuguese epic, The Lusiads. Pessoa’s extraordinariness lies in the fact that he was four completely different poets, each writing in a completely different style of his own.

     Apart from writing under his own name, he wrote also under the pseudonyms of Alvaro de Campos (“first engineer on a tanker, who wears a monocle and is of Jewish extraction, as was Pessoa himself . . . . . the Maritime Ode is the loudest poem ever written . . . . . a series of deafening foghorn blasts.” — Roy Campbell, “Portugal”, Max Reinhardt Ltd. London, 1957, page 156); Alberto Caeiro, a quiet pastoral poet; and Ricardo Reis, “a slightly morose, neo-pagan, but fine classical poet” (Campbell, op.cit.)

     Of the four poets in one, de Campos wrote most, followed by Pessoa himself, who outwrote both Caeiro and Reis.

     The Carcanet Press have recently brought out a four volume selection of Pessoa’s work, price £2.00, translated by Jonathan Griffin. Obtainable from Pin Farm, South Hinksey, Oxford.

 

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