One Impossible Step: Selected Poems

by Orides Fontela, Chris Daniels (Translator)

A selection of extraordinarily condensed, emotionally complex, philosophical poems by one of the most unique and highly regarded 20th century Brazilian poets.
In her lifetime, Orides Fontela resisted all labels, all attempts to situate her work in a particular movement, school, tendency, or tradition. Here, in her first ever English-language collection, Fontela’s poetry continues to defy easy categorization. In these concise, meditative poems, Fontela’s bird and flower, water and stone, blood and star can be read as symbols, indicating a possible tendency toward mysticism. Including an illuminating statement of poetics and excerpts from her often acerbic interviews, One Impossible Step introduces English-language audiences to an iconoclast who remains one across languages and decades.

Genres: Poetry

112 pages, Paperback

Published November 21, 2023

About the author

Orides Fontela (1940-98) foi autora de poemas que ficaram para a história da literatura brasileira do século XX. Sua obra é de um refinamento impressionante e acabou cativando críticos como Antonio Candido, Davi Arrigucci, José Miguel Wisnik e muitos outros. Segundo Antonio Candido, em seus poemas 'se encontram a quintessência das melhores linhagens modernas e a capacidade de lhes imprimir um cunho pessoal inconfundível'. Em 'Poesias reunidas 1969-1996', a obra de Orides, há tempos fora das estantes mas sem nunca ter deixado de circular, reaparece pela primeira vez completa e com uma bibliografia atualizada. Neste volume estão reunidos os livros 'Transposição' (1969), 'Helianto' (1973), 'Alba' (1983), 'Rosácea' (1986) e 'Teia' (1996).

Reviews

[Luigi Sposato]

I finished this book in what felt like 5 minutes.

Truthfully, it is possibly the most honest a poet has ever been; in part because of the interviews translated at the end where we see a lot of Orides opinions (and blunt factuality).

It is a brilliant book, simply put. I will read it again, soon. It feels like the evolution of poetry that has yet to take form in others' writing but maybe that is because the honesty displayed here is frightening. What a rare skill to write about 'being' and the 'realness' of the world no matter the cost.

Who knows?

[Maxwell Shanley]

Finally 💜