Poema de Sete+ Traduções: A Study of Carlos Drummond de Andrade’s “Poema de Sete Faces”

Abstract

Carlos Drummond de Andrade’s frequently anthologized poem “Poema de Sete Faces” (Alguma Poesia 1930) emblematizes Brazilian Modernism’s search for a new means of expression. For many years, the number of translations (spanning from 1965 to 1997) fittingly mirrored the number of stanzas mentioned in the poem’s title.  With the addition of Richard Zenith’s translation in 2015, there are now eight published translations.  By analyzing these distinct translations and at the same time offering my own English approximation, this study reflects on the limits inherent in translating poetry, while also demonstrating how the art of translation can actually further our comprehension of “Poema de Sete Faces”.