View of the Tagus River in Lisbon. Photo Carlos Costa, European Commission.

The River of My Village by Fernando Pessoa, Famous Portuguese Poet You Should Know

To read is to dream, guided by someone else’s hand.

Fernando Pessoa. Baixa, Lisbon

Fernando António Nogueira Pessoa. Portuguese. 13 June 1888–30 November 1935.

He was a Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic, translator, publisher, and philosopher described as one of the most significant literary figures of the 20th century and one of the greatest poets in the Portuguese language. He also wrote in and translated from English and French.

“To read is to dream, guided by someone else’s hand.”

Poem.

O Rio da Minha Aldeia

(Portuguese)

Fernando Pessoa.

O Tejo é mais belo que o rio que corre pela minha aldeia,
Mas o tejo não mais belo que o rio que corre pela minha aldeia
Porque o tejo não é o rio que corre pela minha aldeia,