JOSÉ BERTO - (If I am quiet)

If I am quiet
Antero
only in your beard
do I imitate you.

The broken people
don't drive
nails.

United board. 

To preach* and to be
the countersign  
of the ship in which I skink
happy.

* - in Portuguese, the verb "to preach" is written the same way as "to drive nails" - (pregar). Therefore, the play on words with the "united board", when "board" is "wooden board" 



José Berto, Mar de Escamas, 1997
Tradução: Rogério Sousa