Paulo Colina

Paulo Colina was a Brazilian poet, prose writer, and essayist, born Paulo Eduardo de Oliveira in Colina, São Paulo state, on March 9, 1950. A founding member of the Cadernos Negros generation and the Quilombhoje collective, he debuted with the short story collection Fogo cruzado (1980), followed by the poetry collections Plano de voo (1984), A noite não pede licença (1987), and Todo o fogo da luta (1989).

 

 He translated several Japanese poets into Portuguese, including Takuboku Ishikawa (1885-1912), Bokusui Wakayama (1885–1928), and Akiko Yosano  (1878-1942). His knowledge and translations of Japanese poetry are reflected in his work, which often excels in conciseness. He died prematurely in 1999, leaving several unpublished works, among them the volume Águas-fortes em beco escuro, which compiles his essayistic production. It remains to be hoped that an edition of his complete works and his translations will soon be released.

 

 --- Ricardo Domeneck