Balanço de Rede

Alceu Valença's 'Balanço de Rede' is a poetic exploration of longing, reflection, and the passage of time. The song's title, which translates to 'Hammock Swing,' evokes a sense of relaxation and contemplation, a fitting backdrop for the lyrical journey Valença takes us on. The imagery of water, thirst, and the repetitive motion of a hammock swinging back and forth serves as a metaphor for the cycles of desire and fulfillment in life.

The opening lines, 'Querubim já fechou / Morri de sede,' suggest a sense of closure and unfulfilled longing. 'Querubim' refers to a cherub, often symbolizing innocence and divine presence, which has now 'closed,' leaving the narrator parched with thirst. This thirst is not just physical but emotional and spiritual, as indicated by the 'Tantas águas rolaram, meu amor / Tantos balanços de rede,' where many waters have flowed, and many hammock swings have occurred, yet the thirst remains.

Throughout the song, Valença uses contrasting images to highlight the dualities of life: 'Quanta água, tanta sede / Quantas ruas, tanto chão.' These lines juxtapose abundance with lack, movement with stillness, and the natural world with human experience. The recurring mention of 'Tantas chuvas de verão' (so many summer rains) symbolizes fleeting moments of relief and joy amidst the ongoing struggles. The song's repetitive structure mirrors the cyclical nature of these experiences, emphasizing that life is a series of ebbs and flows, much like the swinging of a hammock.

In 'Balanço de Rede,' Alceu Valença masterfully blends lyrical poetry with rich, evocative imagery to create a song that resonates with universal themes of longing, reflection, and the passage of time. The hammock's gentle sway becomes a metaphor for life's continuous motion, filled with moments of both fulfillment and yearning.