Eu

Florbela Espanca's poem-turned-song, 'Eu,' is a poignant exploration of existential despair and the feeling of being lost in the world. The lyrics convey a deep sense of alienation and sorrow, as the speaker describes herself as someone who is 'lost in the world' and 'without direction in life.' This sense of being adrift is further emphasized by her identification as the 'sister of Dream,' suggesting a life lived in the realm of the intangible and the unreal, rather than grounded in reality.

The imagery in the song is rich with metaphors that evoke a sense of suffering and incomprehension. The speaker refers to herself as 'the crucified one... the sorrowful,' drawing a parallel to Christ-like suffering and sacrifice. This metaphor underscores the depth of her emotional pain and the sense of being burdened by an inescapable fate. The 'shadow of a faint and faded mist' further illustrates her ephemeral existence, as if she is barely there, a ghostly presence pushed towards death by a 'bitter, sad, and strong destiny.'

The final stanza of the song delves into the theme of invisibility and misunderstood sorrow. The speaker laments that she is 'the one who passes by and no one sees,' highlighting her sense of invisibility and isolation. She is 'called sad without being so' and 'cries without knowing why,' indicating a profound disconnect between her inner emotional state and how she is perceived by others. The haunting conclusion suggests that she might be 'a vision that Someone dreamed,' a figment of someone else's imagination, who has come into the world only to remain forever unseen and unrecognized. This evokes a deep sense of existential loneliness and the yearning for connection that remains unfulfilled.