Canção Para Álbum de Moça
Carlos Drummond de Andrade
The Unrequited Greeting: A Poetic Exploration of Longing
Carlos Drummond de Andrade's poem "Canção Para Álbum de Moça" is a poignant exploration of unrequited affection and the persistence of hope. The repeated phrase "bom dia" (good morning) serves as a metaphor for the speaker's attempts to connect with a distant woman who remains unresponsive. This simple greeting, laden with unspoken emotions, becomes a symbol of the speaker's longing and the barriers that separate them. The poem captures the essence of one-sided love, where the speaker's efforts to bridge the gap are met with silence, yet he continues to hope for a reciprocated greeting.
The imagery in the poem is rich and evocative, painting a picture of the speaker's emotional landscape. The distance between the speaker and the woman is not just physical but also emotional, as indicated by phrases like "de noite como de dia" (at night as in the day) and "bem longe de meu poder" (far from my power). The speaker's repeated "bom dia" becomes a ritual, a way to infuse his day with the hope that one day, the woman will respond. This ritualistic repetition underscores the depth of his feelings and the persistence of his hope, even in the face of apparent indifference.
Drummond's use of natural elements like the valley, the mountains, and the changing colors of the day adds a layer of universality to the poem. These elements serve as a backdrop to the speaker's emotional journey, highlighting the contrast between the beauty of the world and the speaker's inner turmoil. The poem's conclusion, where the speaker imagines how the night would transform into the "most crystalline day" if the woman were to respond, encapsulates the transformative power of reciprocated love. This final image leaves the reader with a sense of longing and the bittersweet nature of unfulfilled desires.