Talked to Adelina about Florbela Espanca (1894-1930) this morning, one of Portugal’s best known and loved poets. Her life was filled with torment and ‘she was little understood by contemporary critics, who characterized her style as “feminine” and “narcissistic,” usually conflating the two terms. However, she was well ahead of her time as a voice calling for freedom of gender and mind. She uses liturgical imagery, was influenced by French Symbolism, and frequently describes her beloved Alentejo.’ Here is one of her poems that I love.
