Portuguese Fisherman

by

Margaret Ullrich

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Ola, Senhora Doutor, destiny
has brought you to see me. Do not hurry.
Spend your centavos. You must be hungry.
I grill sardines. Sit, eat like royalty.
I sail the ocean, like that Prince Henry
all know from the age of discovery
that began here in Sagresh. He could see
that our cradle was but a small country
so he made the world our cemetery.

Know that Fate brought you here, not a donkey.
You must hear my fado, my destiny.
My fate is to fish for my family.
Eh, my wife has the children, the worry
She knows not all men return from the sea.
I do not fear. She prays her rosary
and tells Nossa Senhora her Henry
must return. Eh, I get a safe journey.

We had glory, now we have modesty.
We're not as we were under Prince Henry.
You want to know our story, our country,
our poverty. What will be your story?
Who knows what your children's children will be?

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