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Fernando Pessoa and his Heteronyms: Ricardo Reis Fernando Pessoa is a melancholic Portuguese poet and writer who created heteronyms (alter egos with different personalities and writing styles) to express his thoughts  in his writing. Fernando Pessoa created a total of 80 heteronyms but the three who have the most extensive body of work and that are most fleshed out are Albert Caeiro, Ricardo Reis, Alvaro De Campos. I am currently reading "A Little Larger than the Entire Universe" which is a collection of Pessoa's poetry. I want to share some of his work with the world so I will be highlighting his poetry as well as the poetry of the three heteronyms mentioned above.  This is an appreciation post- I want to appreciate Pessoa and I want to share writing that has helped me cope through these difficult times. His poetry is peace for me. Let's move on to Ricardo Reis, a "Greek Horace writing in Portuguese". Reis composed metered, non-rhyming odes about the...

Fernando Pessoa and his Heteronyms: Alberto Caeiro Fernando Pessoa is a melancholic Portuguese poet and writer who created heteronyms (alter egos with different personalities and writing styles) to express his thoughts  in his writing. Fernando Pessoa created a total of 80 heteronyms but the three who have the most extensive body of work and that are most fleshed out are Albert Caeiro, Ricardo Reis, Alvaro De Campos. I am currently reading "A Little Larger than the Entire Universe" which is a collection of Pessoa's poetry. I want to share some of his work with the world so I will be highlighting his poetry as well as the poetry of the three heteronyms mentioned above.  This is an appreciation post- I want to appreciate Pessoa and I want to share writing that has helped me cope through these difficult times. His poetry is peace for me. Alberto Caeiro's Beautiful Lines  Today we start with Alberto Caeiro a self proclaimed "naturalist" he stated ...

Book Destiny I'm beginning to believe that books are meant to be read at a certain moment or time. A decade ago a friend gifted me Blindness by Jose Saramago but it was too dark and depressing so I refused to read it. I like happy endings specially back then because my real life seemed tragic enough or so I thought. The book remained with me for 10 years, untouched. Yes I know I'm really good at saving things- specially books. Anyways I digress, one day I found myself doing my first solo trip and the destination was Portugal. My goal was to see beautiful things, eat and drink delicious things, learn  history and have new experiences but specially to read and write. Somehow the thought came into my mind that I ought to read a book by a Portuguese author. A way to pay respect to the place, read from an author of that place to understand the culture and its people better and to appreciate and celebrate their literary achievements. This is now a tradition actually. I beg...

                Afterlife On April 4th my father passed away from complications due to coronavirus. I rushed to New York driving alone for 11 hours to be here with family. To make sure that he would be laid to rest one way or another and to be there for my stepmom, brother and my younger siblings.  After a painful ordeal I am now living with my stepmom and my younger siblings.  I dream about my father and I share the dreams and I connect them to who he was and my relationship with him. Last night I dreamt we were dancing salsa. I suck at dancing salsa and I was afraid to do it in the dream but my father told me to try that it would be fine. We struggled but nailed every step. See my father was the one who taught me how to dance. Ironically not salsa of which I still only know the basic steps but merengue, tipico and bachata. Then I analyze his every word and action and wonder if there's a message. Maybe he's telling me...

24 Books That Changed My Life by Idalmi Acosta I chose to write this post because I was thinking about how much I love reading and how literature has influenced and shaped me into the person I am today. I have learned so many life lessons from books, changed my perspectives or had my heart filled with hope. I want to share that with people- share the good things in my life. Maybe one of these books can impact you like they impacted me. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand I learned from this book that fulfilling your goals is hard work even when you're talented. Also that you should stay true to your goal and not give it up for anyone or anything. Favorite quotes:  “To sell your  soul  is the easiest thing in the world. That's what everybody does every hour of his life. If I asked you to keep your  soul  - would you understand why that's much harder?” Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky I read this book when the word "woke" was not a trend it c...

                                                 And So We Walked- An Artist's Journey Along the Trail of Tears A couple of weeks ago I went to the Indianapolis Repertoire Theater to see And So We Walked- An Artist's Journey Along the Trail of Tears written and acted by Delanna Studi which according to the IRT website we are to "Join Cherokee actor and artist DeLanna Studi as she explores her personal and cultural identity while traveling the Trail of Tears with her father—and her family spirits. This one-woman play probes the complexities and conflicts that the Cherokee Nation still wrestles with today, almost 200 years after their forced relocation. Past and present intertwine with dreams, history, and legend in this frank and moving memoir of doubt and discovery." I told you a while back that I'm on a journey to learn more about Native A...