O Navio Negreiro

The Slave Ship

The Slave Ship

We are in the middle of the sea
It was a nightmarish dream... the deck,
Which reddens the glow of the lanterns,
Bathing in blood.
Clanging of irons... cracking of the whip...
Legions of black men as dark as night,
Horrendous dancing...

Black women, holding up to their breasts
Thin children, whose black mouths
Are watered by their mothers' blood:
Others, young women... but naked, frightened,
Dragged in the whirlwind of specters,
In vain anguish and sorrow.

And the orchestra laughs, ironic, strident...
And the fantastic round dance's serpent
Makes mad spirals...
If the old man gasps... if he slips to the ground,
Shouts are heard... the whip cracks.
And they fly more and more...

Prisoner of the links of a single chain,
The hungry crowd staggers
And cries and dances there!
One raves with rage, another goes mad...
Another, numbed by torments,
Singing, moans and laughs!

Meanwhile the captain orders the maneuver
And then, gazing at the sky unfolding
So pure over the sea,
He speaks of the smoke among the dense mists:
"Brandish the whip hard, sailors!
Make them dance more!..."

And the orchestra laughs, ironic, strident...
And the fantastic round dance's serpent
Makes mad spirals!
As in a nightmarish dream the shadows fly...
Cries, sighs, curses, prayers resound!
And Satan laughs!...
Lord God of the wretched!
Tell me, Lord God!
If it is madness... if it is true
So much horror before the heavens...
O sea, why don't you erase
With the sponge of your waves
From your mantle this blot?...
Stars! night! storms!
Roll from the immensities!
Sweep the seas, typhoon!...

Who are these wretched ones
Who find in you
Nothing more than the calm laughter of the crowd
That excites the fury of the executioner?
Who are they?... If the star is silent,
If the wave quickly slips away
Like a fleeting accomplice,
Before the confused night...
Tell me, you, severe muse,
Free, audacious muse!

They are the children of the desert
Where the earth marries the light.
Where in the open field flies
The tribe of naked men...

They are the daring warriors,
Who with the spotted tigers
Fight in solitude...
Simple, strong, brave men...
Today miserable slaves
Without air, without light, without reason...

They are wretched women
Like Hagar was too,
Thirsty, weakened,
From afar... very far they come...
Bringing with timid steps
Children and chains in their arms,
In their souls tears and gall.
Like Hagar suffering so much
That not even the milk of tears
Have to give to Ishmael...

There in the endless sands,
Of the palm trees in the land,
Beautiful children were born,
Gentle girls lived...
A caravan passes one day
When the virgin in the hut
Dreams of the nights in veils...
...Farewell! oh mountain hut!...
...Farewell! palm trees of the fountain!...
...Farewell! loves... farewell!...

Lord God of the wretched!
Tell me, Lord God!
If I am delirious... or if it is true
So much horror before the heavens...
O sea, why don't you erase
With the sponge of your waves
From your mantle this blot?...
Stars! night! storms!
Roll from the immensities!
Sweep the seas, typhoon!...

And there is a people that lends its flag
To cover so much infamy and cowardice!...
And lets it turn into this feast
An impure cloak of cold bacchantes!...
My God! my God! but what flag is this,
That impudently flaunts on the mast?!...
Silence!... Muse! cry, cry so much
That the pavilion is washed in your tears...

Golden-green banner of my land,
That the breeze of Brazil kisses and sways,
Standard that holds the sun's light,
And the divine promises of hope...
You, who after the war of freedom,
Were hoisted by heroes on the lance,
Better had you been torn in battle,
Than serve a people of shrouds!...

Atrocious fate that crushes the mind!
Extinguish at this hour the filthy brig
The trail that Columbus opened in the wave,
Like a rainbow in the deep sea!...
...But it is too much infamy...
From the ethereal shore
Rise, heroes of the New World...
Andrada! tear this flag from the air!
Columbus! close the door of your seas!