Amar!

Florbela Espanca's poem 'Amar!'—which translates to 'Love!' in English—expresses a deep yearning for an all-consuming, unattached form of love. The poem's opening lines set the tone for a passionate declaration of love that is free from the constraints of exclusivity or possession. Espanca's desire to 'love just for the sake of loving' suggests a love that is expansive and inclusive, extending to 'this one and that one, the other and everyone.' This approach to love is non-discriminatory and universal, breaking away from the traditional notion of loving a single person exclusively.

The middle stanza of the poem introduces a sense of skepticism towards the idea of lifelong love for a single individual, implying that such a notion is a lie. Espanca challenges the conventional wisdom that love can be constant and unchanging over a lifetime. Instead, she seems to advocate for a more fluid and transient experience of love, one that can evolve and change over time. The poet's questions about remembering, forgetting, binding, or releasing reflect the complexities and ambiguities of love and relationships.

The final stanza of 'Amar!' shifts to a more philosophical reflection on life and mortality. Espanca uses the metaphor of spring as a symbol of renewal and the importance of living life to its fullest. The act of singing becomes a metaphor for expressing the joy and beauty of existence. The poet's acceptance of her eventual demise—'to be dust, ash, and nothing'—is countered by her wish for a transformative end, one that allows her to 'lose herself to find herself.' This paradoxical statement encapsulates the essence of the poem: the search for self through the act of loving without restraint or expectation.