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Woman in the Mirror

     I wrote this poem as a child, after a certain incident, and, like many of my poems attributed to other poets, this one has been commonly attributed to Cecília Meireles, maybe because she had a book on poems for children published. This isn't a nursery rhyme, though.

    I finally translated everything into English (I grew up bilingual). Of course, this is not an exact translation, but rather an unprecedented adaption, as happens with poetry. You can read both versions bellow.


Mullher ao Espellho

Hoje, que seja esta ou aquela
Pouco me importa
Quero apenas parecer bela
Pois seja qual for, estou morta.

Já fui loura, já fui morena
Já fui Margarida e Beatriz
Já fui Maria e Madalena
Só não pude ser como quis.

Que mal faz esta cor fingida
Do meu cabelo, do meu rosto
Se tudo é tinta; o mundo, a vida
O contentamento, o desgosto.

Karen Stärke

Woman in the Mirror

Today, being a zero or someone
I no longer care
As long as I'm the pretty one
For I'm dead whoever I dare.

I've been blond, I've been brunette
I've been Madeleine, I've been Trish
I've been Mary and Benardette
But I could not be my own wish.

Does it matter if fake
Colors of my hair and face
If all is ink; the world, and for its sake
Life itself, joy, disgrace.

Karen Stärke

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