the beautiful poem

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I’m a tranquilizer.
I’m effective at home.
I work in the office.

I can take exams
on the witness stand.
I mend broken cups with care.
All you have to do is take me,
let me melt beneath your tongue,
just gulp me
with a glass of water.

I know how to handle misfortune,
how to take bad news.
I can minimize injustice,
lighten up God’s absence,
or pick the widow’s veil that suits your face.
What are you waiting for—
have faith in my chemical compassion.

You’re still a young man/woman.
It’s not too late to learn how to unwind.
Who said
you have to take it on the chin?

Let me have your abyss.
I’ll cushion it with sleep.
You’ll thank me for giving you
four paws to fall on.

Sell me your soul.
There are no other takers.

There is no other devil anymore. 

Wislawa Szymborska

vice-versa

Tenho medo de ver-te

necessidade de ver-te

esperança de ver-te

insipidezes de ver-te

tenho vontade de encontrar-te

preocupação de encontrar-te

certeza de encontrar-te

pobres dúvidas de encontrar-te

tenho urgência de ouvir-te

alegria de ouvir-te

boa sorte de ouvir-te

e temores de ouvir-te

ou seja

resumindo

estou fodido

e radiante

talvez mais o primeiro

que o segundo

e também

vice-versa.

Mario Benedetti