The Sá de Miranda Municipal Library in Amares celebrated World Poetry Day on Saturday with the presentation of a book of poetry by Sílvia Mota Lopes. Entitled ‘Orgânico’ (Poética Edições, November 2024), the book was presented by Cândido Oliveira Martins, professor at the Portuguese Catholic University (Braga).
In the general presentation of the session, Anabela Costa, director of the Amares Municipal Library, began by emphasising the importance of celebrating World Poetry Day. She then introduced the various participants in the cultural session.
The book contains illustrations (drawings by Alícia Lino, Francisca Graziani and Francisca Camacho). It also has a brief endnote by Luciana Braga, who emphasises: ‘In a plural language, Sílvia Mota Lopes speaks of the muteness of things, the restlessness of the soul, the labyrinths of the heart and guides the way to self-awareness through fine shortcuts.’
The book's author was born in Braga and works as a teacher with an artistic vocation, expressing herself creatively through painting and illustration, as well as writing poetry, having already published five books, including poetry and children's literature. Before this most recent book, she published another poetry book, ‘Ofício volátil da memória’ (Poética Edições, 2023). At the same time, he has participated in various poetry anthologies and organised exhibitions of his pictorial creations.
In his presentation, Cândido Oliveira Martins began by emphasising the place of poetry in the human, cultural and aesthetic formation of the human being. He then focused on the singularities of Sílvia Mota Lopes' book “Orgânico”: the sense of dialogue with other women writers (from Rosalía de Castro and Virgínia Woolf to Maria Ondina Braga), the manifest traits of women's writing, the importance of the affective dimension, memory and time.
One of the emblematic poems of this writing reads: ‘Inspiration can happen / in a room alone with literature / when hands finger whole pages / making the characters climb / into poetry. // Tired of narratives / it's in the poetic images / in the verses / that they get excited // moaning with pleasure.
The book's author also spoke, recognising the importance of artistic crossovers in her creative activity, from poetry to illustration and painting, as something very natural, like a vocational drive. At the same time, she recognised the need to pay tribute to other women writers who are models of life and creativity for her. She also recognised that poetry and art in general can be privileged ways of raising awareness of a fairer, more equal society that does not marginalise women.
This cultural event for World Poetry Day also featured a pleasant musical performance by Luís Capela (viola) and Bárbara Passos (singing) who, at various points during the session, delighted those present with their rendition of fados and songs written and sung by women at various times. The two artists belong to the well-known ‘Ai Braguesa’ quintet, dedicated to promoting traditional Portuguese roots music. And it was Luís Capela who set Sá de Miranda's poems to music, in an edition published by the Municipality of Amares.
